tweezers
TWEE-zerz
/ˈtwiːzərz/
A small hand tool consisting of two metal prongs used for plucking hair or grasping tiny objects like splinters.
Always used as a plural noun (or 'pair of tweezers') designed specifically for precision grasping of microscopic or small items.
The story behind the word. In 17th-century England, a small case for tiny tools was called an 'etwee' (from French 'étui'). The miniature tools inside this case, specifically small pinchers, became known as 'tweezes', eventually taking the modern plural form 'tweezers'.
Word relationships
- forceps: Forceps are hinged medical instruments used by surgeons, whereas tweezers are simple pinched prongs.
- pincers: Pincers are gripping tools with curved jaw edges used for crushing or cutting wire, not delicate skin extraction.
Commonly confused with
- tongs: Tongs are much larger gripping utensils designed for hot items or heavy food serving.
Word family
- tweezer (verb): To pluck or pull out using precision prongs.
Collocations
- pair of tweezers
- sterilized tweezers
- slant-tip tweezers
- fine-tipped tweezers
Example sentences
- "She carefully sterilized the metal tweezers before pulling out the embedded wooden thorn." Removing minor foreign body
- "Keep a pair of sharp tweezers in your hygiene kit for emergency debris extraction." Personal grooming
Memory hook
TWEEzers grab TEENY-TWEE things. Precision prongs for tiny slivers.
When not to use
Do not confuse with large culinary or industrial tongs used for heavy items.
Fun facts
- In ancient Rome, bronze tweezers were common personal grooming items, frequently buried alongside their owners.
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.