any of several knots used as by surgeons in tying ligatures
surgeon's knot in American English
noun
a knot resembling a reef knot, used by surgeons for tying ligatures and the like
Word origin
[1805–15]This word is first recorded in the period 1805–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: makeup, napoleon, one-sided, polarization, soufflé