tongue depressor

noun

1. a broad, thin piece of wood used by doctors to hold down the patient's tongue during an examination of the mouth and throat.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tongue depressor¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

"Some were friendly, others lacked bedside manners, one even came and inspected me with a wooden tongue depressor," Rhiannon explained.

From BBC

Probably wise that it is set in the titular emergency response vehicle, ensuring easy access during shooting to defibrilllators and tongue depressors.

From Los Angeles Times

Established in 1919, Puritan began as a producer of mint toothpicks, eventually branching out to frozen pop sticks, wooden ice cream spoons, tongue depressors and, eventually, swabs.

From Washington Post

As Asma helped arrange paper flowers in a basket on the dining room table, Aqsa — who wore a plastic stethoscope around her neck — used a tongue depressor to check inside Gulsom’s mouth.

From Los Angeles Times

“Use a tongue depressor and pack the honey into the wound,” Peterson says.

From New York Times