1. Thread-like material used to sew body tissues together.
2. A stitch that closes a wound.
3. A type of joint between the bones of the skull where the bones are held tightly together by fibrous tissue.
4. The junction of two bones forming an immovable articulation; the line of such a junction; especially, any of the serrated articulations of the skull.
5. The joining of the lips of a wound, or of the ends of a severed nerve or tendon, by stitches.
6. Etymology: from Latin sutura, "a sewn seam". In Latin, the verb suere is "to sew, stitch", or "tack together".

A surgical suture material prepared from a substance that can be absorbed by body tissues and is therefore not permanent: Absorbable surgical sutures are available in various diameters and tensile strengths, and can be treated to modify its resistance to integration into a person's physique.

Each absorbable surgical suture is assimilated into the skin and therefore it does not need to be removed.

A stitch or sewing used by doctors and surgeons to hold tissue together which is placed so that it is completely covered by skin.

A surgical stitch material made from a portion of the small intestines of healthy ruminants; such as, cattle, sheep, or goats: The catgut suture can be sterilized and eventually, it is absorbed by body fluids.

Although the name implies the usage of the "guts of cats", there is no record of feline entrails being used for this purpose.

Another possible explanation for the name catgut suture is the combination of the words "cattle" and "gut".

A surgical thread made from a material that cannot be taken into the body: Some nonabsorbable sutures such, as silk, silkworm gut, horsehair, certain synthetic materials, or even wire, can be used in operations.