spondonicles

English

Spondonicles (right of image, being held by hand) in use

Alternative forms

• spondonicals

Etymology

Rumoured to have first been used in a film by The Three Stooges, in which the term was allegedly used to refer to an unknown medical instrument used in a surgery.

Pronunciation

• (General Australian) enPR: spŏndŏnəklz, IPA^(key): /spɔnˈdɔnəkl̩z/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

spondonicles pl (normally plural, singular spondonicle)

1. (Australia, colloquial) A metal tool used to pick up a hot pot or billycan which has been on a campfire or other heat source.
   • 2002 17 July, David Springthorpe, "Re: Spondonicals", in aus.bushwalking, Usenet:

     "Used spondonicles recently for the first time for a long time with a recently purchased car-camping stove....."

   • 2006 January 28, Roger Caffin, “Re: Gas camping stove explodes”, in aus.bushwalking‎^[1] (Usenet):

     "So I just picked [the billy] up by the spondonicles and walked it outside to cool it in the snow."