1 [count] : a piece of thread that is passed through a piece of material with a needle
▪ the stitches on a baseball ▪ She pulled out the stitches. — see also cross-stitch 2 [count] medical : a special piece of thread that is used to hold a large cut or wound closed
▪ His cut required six stitches. ▪ She gets her stitches removed tomorrow. 3 a [count] : a single loop of thread or yarn that is wrapped around a tool (such as a knitting needle) and is linked to other loops to make fabric
▪ After knitting another row she realized she had dropped a stitch. [=let a loop fall off a knitting needle]
b : a particular type or style of stitch used in sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc. [count] ▪ The book teaches a variety of stitches. [noncount] ▪ a scarf worked in knit/purl stitch 4 [count] : a sudden sharp pain in your side — usually singular ▪ I've got a stitch (in my side).