noun
catheter
KA-thih-tuh
noun
1
A thin flexible tube inserted into the body to drain fluid, deliver medicine, or open a passage.
"The nurse inserted a catheter to drain his bladder after surgery."
How to Use Catheter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA medical tube used to carry fluids into or out of the body.
Common pairings
insert a catheter
a urinary catheter
Word Forms
catheters plural
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The nurse inserted a _____ to drain his bladder after surgery.
Etymology
From Greek katheter, "something let down," originally describing an instrument used to empty the bladder.