trepanation
Trepanation (noun) means the act of boring or cutting an opening into the skull, historically carried out for medical or ritual purposes. Example: “Archaeologists found skulls showing signs of trepanation.”
How to use trepanation
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTrepanation means cutting a hole in the skull as a form of treatment.
It is a specialist term used mainly in medical history and archaeology.
Do not confuse it with trepidation, which is about fear rather than surgery.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Archaeologists found skulls showing signs of _____.
Etymology
The word comes from New Latin trepanatio, built on the French trépan, meaning a drill, which itself derives from Latin trepanum. That in turn goes back to the Ancient Greek trupanon, meaning an auger or a drill.
