Surgical removal of foreign material and dead tissue from a wound in order to prevent infection and promote healing

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"removal of damaged tissue from a wound," 1839, from French débridement , literally "an unbridling," from dé- (see de- ) + bride "bridle," from a Germanic source akin to Middle High German bridel (see bridle ). Related: debride , debriding .

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
In dentistry, debridement refers to the necessary removal of plaque and calculus that have accumulated on the teeth in order to maintain oral health.

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. surgical removal of foreign material and dead tissue from a wound in order to prevent infection and promote healing

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 (context medicine English) The removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue. 2 (context dentistry English) The removal of the dental tartar that has accumulated over teeth, typically ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Debridement \De*bride"ment\, n. the surgical excision of dead, contaminated, or damaged tissue, and foreign matter, especially from a wound. [PJC] ||