siswrn

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle English sisours, from Old French cisoires. The -n is of unclear origin; perhaps the word is from a dialect of Middle English in which the plural suffix -en predominated over -s. At any rate, its use in this Welsh word is paralleled by other loanwords like masarn (“maple”) (from Old French masre), miswrn (“visor”), and pinsiwrn (“pincers”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪsʊrn/
  • (South Wales, colloquial also) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪʃʊn/, /ˈʃɪʃʊn/

Noun

siswrn m (plural sisyrnau or siswrnau or siswrns, not mutable)

1. (pair of) scissors (tool used for cutting)