Splint
/splɪnt/noun
A thin, rigid strip or support used to hold a broken bone or injured limb in place.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from a Germanic root meaning “split,” so the thing meant to stabilize a break began life as something cut or split into a thin strip.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*splintaz
“a splinter, chip, or thin piece”
Old English
OE
splint
“a splinter or thin strip of wood”
Middle English
ME
splint
“a thin piece of wood used in making baskets, torches, or supports”
Modern English
English
splint
“a rigid support used to immobilize an injured body part”