# splint

> English word · Noun · IPA /splɪnt/ · frequency rank #43,933

## Definitions
1. A narrow strip of wood split or peeled from a larger piece.
2. A narrow strip of wood split or peeled from a larger piece.
3. A dental device applied consequent to undergoing orthodontia.
4. A device to immobilize a body part.
5. A segment of armour consisting of a narrow overlapping plate.
6. Synonym of splent coal.
7. A bone found on either side of a horse's cannon bone; the second or fourth metacarpal (forelimb) or metatarsal (hindlimb) bone.
8. A disease affecting the splint bones, as a callosity or hard excrescence.

## Etymology
From Middle English splint, splent, splente, from Middle Low German splinte, splente or Middle Dutch splint, splinte. Cognate with Old High German splinza (“bar, bolt, latch”). All ultimately from Proto-Germanic *splintǭ, *splintō (“piece of wood, splinter”), from Proto-Germanic *splint-, *splind- (“to split”), from a nasalized form of *splītaną (“to split”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pley- (“to split, splice”).

## Easily confused with
- **split** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-split)
- **stint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-stint)
- **spring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-spring)
- **sprint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-sprint)
- **spying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-spying)
- **spoilt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-spoilt)
- **squint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-squint)
- **splints** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-splints)
- **splinter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/splint-vs-splinter)
- **spin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spin-vs-splint)
- **spit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spit-vs-splint)
- **slit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/slit-vs-splint)
- **spent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spent-vs-splint)
- **Spain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spain-vs-splint)
- **saint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saint-vs-splint)
- **spine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-splint)
- **spins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spins-vs-splint)
- **sling** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-splint)
- **slant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/slant-vs-splint)
- **spilt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spilt-vs-splint)

## Common misspellings (10)
`pslint`, `slpint`, `spilnt`, `splinnt`, `splintt`, `splitn`, `spllint`, `splnit`, `spplint`, `ssplint`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/splint