scissors

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[edit] English

an assortment of scissors

[edit] Etymology

c.1350–1400 Middle English sisoures, from Old French cisoires, from Vulgar Latin *cīsōria, plural of Late Latin cīsōrium (“cutting tool”) (compare chisel); from Latin word root -cīsus (compare excise) or cæsus, past participle of cædere (“to cut”).

  • Current spelling, from the 16th century, is by association with Medieval Latin scissor (“tailor”), from Latin carrying the meaning “carver, cutter”, from scindere (“to split”).

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

scissors (plural only)

  1. (plural only; not used in singular form) A type of tool used for cutting thin material, consisting of two crossing blades attached at a pivot point in such a way that the blades slide across each other when the handles are closed; the tool is operated by one hand by putting the thumb and a finger or fingers through holes at the ends of the blades that are opposite to the cutting edges.
  2. A single pair of scissors.
    • 1947 Jun 22, “Around the Garden”, New York Times:
      Roses will last longer if a knife rather than a scissors is used to cut the blooms.
  3. (rugby). An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side. Also known as a switch. See also dummy scissors. Referred to singularly as "a scissors"; corresponding verb to scissor.

[edit] Usage notes

  • "A pair of scissors" is preferred to "a scissors" by about a four-to-one margin in the US (COCA).
  • "The scissors" is preferred to "the scissor" by about a thirty-to-one margin in the US (COCA).

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

tool used for cutting

[edit] Verb

scissors

  1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of scissor.
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