tweezers

[ twee-zerz ]

noun

, (used with a singular or plural verb)

1. small pincers or nippers for plucking out hairs, extracting splinters, picking up small objects, etc.

tweezers

/ ˈtwiːzəz /

plural noun

1. a small pincer-like instrument for handling small objects, plucking out hairs, etc Also calledpair of tweezersesp UStweezer

Word History and Origins

Origin of tweezers¹

First recorded in 1645–55; plural of tweezer, equivalent to obsolete tweeze “case of surgical instruments” (aphetic form of earlier etweese, from French étuis, plural of étui, noun derivative of Old French étuier “to keep,” from Latin stūdiāre “to care for”) + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tweezers¹

C17: plural of tweezer (on the model of scissors , etc), from tweeze case of instruments, from French étuis cases (of instruments), from Old French estuier to preserve, from Vulgar Latin studiāre (unattested) to keep, from Latin studēre to care about

Example Sentences

Much of the content was chit-chatty girl talk about longing for manicures, pedicures, a pair of tweezers and “underwear that fit.”

From The Daily Beast

"In a moment you won't see it," declared the doctor, as he adjusted the tweezers, getting a careful grip on the end of the hair.

From Project Gutenberg

It's all finicky work with tweezers and magnifying glasses, trying to get everything to fit in that little case.

From Project Gutenberg

Suitable tweezers may be obtained at the larger hardware stores or of watchmakers.

From Project Gutenberg

Throughout Central Africa a pair of tweezers for extracting thorns is an indispensable requisite in the equipment of every native.

From Project Gutenberg

We therefore proceeded with the experiment, and fixed into the object-glass the little animal, who was struggling in our tweezers.

From Project Gutenberg