[ trɪ'pan ]
■ noun
1》 chiefly historical a trephine (hole saw) used by surgeons for perforating the skull.
2》 a borer for sinking shafts.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ning , ~ned ) perforate (a person's skull) with a ~.
Derivatives
~ation ˌtrɛpə'neɪʃ(ə)n noun
Origin
ME: the noun via med. L. from Gk trupanon , from trupan 'to bore', from trupē 'hole'; the verb from OFr. ~er .