天蚕糸てぐす

noun

silkworm gut; catgut

A strong, translucent thread made from the silk glands of silkworms, traditionally used for fishing lines, surgical sutures, and musical instrument strings. The term 'catgut' is a historical English name, though the material is not from cats.

• 天蚕糸てぐすは釣つり糸いとや手しゅ術じゅつ用ようの縫ほう合ごう糸しに使つかわれる。

  Silkworm gut is used for fishing lines and surgical sutures.

• 昔むかしのテニスラケットには天蚕糸てぐすが張はられていた。

  Old tennis rackets were strung with gut.