rongeur

[ rohn-zhur; French rawn-zhœr ]

noun

, Surgery.

, plural ron·geurs [rohn-, zhurz, r, aw, n, -, zhœr].

1. a strongly constructed instrument with a sharp-edged, scoop-shaped tip, used for gouging out bone.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rongeur¹

1880–85; < French: literally, gnawer

Example Sentences

He put his helmet close to hers and spoke the word rongeur again, and she released her hose.

From Literature

She handed him a pair of pliers called the rongeur.

From Literature

Once the surgeons have a clear path, they use a sharp cutting tool called a rongeur to remove bits of spinal bone.

From Washington Post

Rongeur, rong-zhėr, n. a forceps for gouging bones.

From Project Gutenberg

He had used a tool called a rongeur to chew up the scar tissue and had accidentally chewed up the scaphoid bone--ending Johnson's ability to do orthopedic surgery.

From Time Magazine Archive