tweezers
English edit
Etymology edit
17th century (1645–55): plural of tweeser (on the model of nippers, pincers, pliers or scissors), from obsolete tweese (“case for small instruments”) (or alternatively, alteration of plural form tweeses), aphetic form of earlier etweese (plural of etwee), from French étuis, plural of étui (“case, box, cover”) (from Old French estui (“container, prison”, noun), derivative of étuier (earlier spelling, estuier (“to shut up, guard, keep, preserve, save, enclose, place in a cover”), probably from Vulgar Latin *estudiāre (“to keep, treat with care”) or *studiāre, from Latin studēre (“to care about”).
Pronunciation edit
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈtwizɚz/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtwiːzəz/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun edit
tweezers pl (plural only)
- A small pincerlike instrument, usually made of metal, used for handling or picking up small objects (such as postage stamps), plucking out (plucking) hairs, pulling out slivers, etc.
Synonyms edit
- pair of pincers, pincers
- pair of tweezers
- tongs (philatelic)
- tweezer (US)
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
small pincer-like instrument, usually made of metal, used for handling small objects
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