catheter

noun

cath·​e·​ter ˈka-thə-tər How to pronounce catheter (audio)
ˈkath-tər
: a tubular medical device for insertion into canals, vessels, passageways, or body cavities usually to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to keep a passage open compare balloon catheter

Examples of catheter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jabbour said an endovascular cerebrospinal fluid shunt, or E-shunt, is threaded into the brain with a catheter that's inserted through the groin. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Major risk factors include the use of breathing and feeding tubes and catheters, which are medical interventions used on people who are already in poor health. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026 It can also be spread via medical devices, such as breathing tubes, intravenous catheters and IVs. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026 Additionally, nursing home patients or hospital patients who have or have had lines and tubes in their body -- such as a catheter or a breathing tube -- are also at high risk. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catheter

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek kathetēr, from kathienai to send down, from kata- cata- + hienai to send — more at jet

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of catheter was in 1588

Phrases Containing catheter

Browse Nearby Words

Catherine wheel
catheter
catheterization
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catheter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catheter. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

catheter

noun
cath·​e·​ter ˈkath-ət-ər, ˈkath-tər How to pronounce catheter (audio)
: a tubular medical device for insertion into canals, vessels, passageways, or body cavities for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes (as to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to keep a passage open)

More from Merriam-Webster on catheter

Nglish: Translation of catheter for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catheter

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