Link Centre Dictionary

scissors

scis·sors

UK/ˈsɪzəz/ US/ˈsɪzɚz/ fairly common

noun

1.

and edge tool having two crossed pivoting blades

Synonyms
2.

a wrestling hold in which you wrap your legs around the opponents body or head and put your feet together and squeeze

Synonyms
3.

a gymnastic exercise performed on the pommel horse when the gymnast moves his legs as the blades of scissors move

Origin

From Middle English sisours (attested since 1350-1400), from Old French cisoirs, from Late Latin cīsōria, plural of cīsōrium (“cutting tool”); from Latin word root -cīsus (compare excise) or caesus, past participle of caedō (“to cut”). Partially displaced native Old English sċēara (“scissors, shears”), whence shears. Doublet of chisel. The current spelling, from the 16th century, is due to association with Medieval Latin scissor (“tailor”), from Latin carrying the meaning “carver, cutter”, from scindō (“to split”).

Phrases

  • agrarian scissors
  • crash scissors
  • dummy scissors
  • elbow scissors
  • genetic scissors
  • grafting scissors
  • marble scissors
  • Mayo scissors

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.