scalpel

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Sure, the scalpel was applied earlier this year.

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Definitions (4)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. noun A small straight knife with a thin sharp blade used in surgery and dissection.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

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Examples (50)

  • I didn't know where the scalpel was, or if he still had it Let Smith kill Pierce! —  Cat and Mouse
  • While he was looking for a scalpel, he came across the carcinogens. —  Thrilling Wonder Stories April, 1953
  • It was conceivable that they had studied nature's mirth instead of watching frogs dissected with a scalpel, and had learned to be amused with each existing minute rather than to meditate on metaphysical conundrums. —  OM: The Secret of Ahbor Valley
  • Pringle squinted at a scalpel, then polished harder. —  Stephanie Laurens - A Fine Passion
  • He has a mind which not only cuts like a scalpel, but is rich and resourceful--both critical and creative. —  SICK HEART RIVER
 

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This word has been looked up 90 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Latin scalpellum, diminutive of scalper, scalprum, knife, from scalpere, to scratch, cut; see skel-1 in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French scalpel = Provencal scapel = Spanish escalpelo = Portuguese escalpello = Italian scarpello, from Latin scalpellum, a surgical knife, a scalpel, diminutive of scalprum or scalper, a knife: see scalper.
 

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/ˈskælpɛl/
by American Heritage

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