half-hitch knot

A style of surgical knot, consisting of one straight strand with the other thrown over, back over itself, under the original strand and back through the loop created by the earlier steps. It is the basis for square, granny and surgeon's knots, depending on how the hitches are thrown.

Half-hitch knot. By permission from Slatter D, Textbook of Small Animal Surgery, Saunders, 2002