catheter

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a thin flexible tube inserted into the body to permit introduction or withdrawal of fluids or to keep the passageway open

   The nurse inserted a catheter to drain the bladder.

Borrowed from French cathéter, from Late Latin cathetēr, from Ancient Greek καθετήρ (kathetḗr, “surgical instrument for emptying the bladder”), from καθίημι (kathíēmi, “to descend, let down”) + -τήρ (-tḗr, suffix forming masculine nouns from verbs).

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