puncture

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a small hole made by a sharp point

   The thorn left a shallow puncture in her glove.

2. 2
   noun

   a hole in a tire that allows air to escape, or the resulting loss of air

   We stopped to repair a puncture in the bicycle tire.

3. 3
   verb

   to pierce something and make a small hole in it

   A jagged piece of metal could puncture the fuel tank.

4. 4
   noun

   the act or medical procedure of piercing with a pointed instrument

   The doctor cleaned the skin before the lumbar puncture.

Common collocations

• lumbar puncture Adjective + noun

From Late Latin punctura ("a pricking"), from Latin punctus, the past participle of pungere ("to prick or pierce"). The same Latin family produced point and pungent.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images