stent: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “stent” mean?
A small tube inserted into a blood vessel or duct to keep it open.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small tube inserted into a blood vessel or duct to keep it open.
Any device or structure used to support or hold open a passageway in the body; also used metaphorically for any temporary support or framework.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Neutral medical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in medical contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “stent” in a Sentence
The surgeon inserted a stent [into the artery].A stent was placed [to keep the vessel open].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stent” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The interventional radiologist will stent the narrowed bile duct.
American English
- The cardiologist decided to stent the blocked artery during the procedure.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use]
American English
- [No standard adverbial use]
adjective
British English
- The stent graft was deployed successfully.
American English
- The patient underwent a stent placement surgery.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in pharmaceutical or medical device company contexts.
Academic
Common in medical and biomedical engineering literature.
Everyday
Used when discussing personal medical procedures or news about health.
Technical
The primary context; precise term in cardiology, urology, and interventional radiology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stent”
- Misspelling as 'stint'.
- Using as a verb without the medical context (e.g., 'They stented the road' is incorrect).
- Pronouncing with a long 'e' (/stiːnt/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in medical contexts (e.g., 'to stent an artery'), meaning to insert a stent. It is not common in general English.
A stent holds a passage open from within. A shunt is a tube that creates a new passage or diverts flow from one place to another.
It is an eponym, named after 19th-century English dentist Charles Stent, who invented a compound for dental impressions. The term was later applied to the supporting device.
Some stents are permanent (like most coronary stents), while others (like many ureteral stents) are designed to be temporary and removed after a period.
A small tube inserted into a blood vessel or duct to keep it open.
Stent is usually technical/medical in register.
Stent: in British English it is pronounced /stɛnt/, and in American English it is pronounced /stɛnt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a STent as a STrong, STurdy tube that STays in place to keep a passage open.
Conceptual Metaphor
A STENT IS A SCAFFOLD/SUPPORT (for a biological passageway).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'stent' most precisely and commonly used?