: a compress or pad used to apply medication to or absorb discharges (as from a wound)
Word History
Etymology
origin unknown
First Known Use
circa 1540, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
pledget
noun
pled·get ˈplej-ət
: a compress or small flat mass usually of gauze or absorbent cotton that is laid over a wound or into a cavity to apply medication, exclude air, retain dressings, or absorb the matter discharged