trephine

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: tre=phine

CIDE DICTIONARY

trephine, n. [A dim. of 1st trepan: cf. F. tréphine.].

 An instrument for trepanning, being an improvement on the trepan. It is a circular or cylindrical saw, with a handle like that of a gimlet, and a little sharp perforator called the center pin.  [1913 Webster]

trephine, v. t. 

 To perforate with a trephine; to trepan.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

trephine, n. & v.
--n. an improved form of trepan with a guiding centre-pin.
--v.tr. operate on with this.

Derivative

trephination n.

Etymology

orig. trafine, f. L tres fines three ends, app. formed after TREPAN