scalpel

noun

scal·​pel ˈskal-pəl 

also

skal-ˈpel 

: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery

Examples of scalpel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This hairstyle is a real trick for naturally smoothing out the skin, without the need for injections or a scalpel. — Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 July 2026

The same scalpel or bone saw that cut a human also cleft sheep, horses, pigs and other animals in distress. — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026

Truly dug into me like a scalpel. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026

Earlier that day, Parker — who had pretended to be pregnant for 10 months — stabbed her pregnant friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock 15 times, then performed a crude cesarean section, cutting the fetus out of her body with a scalpel and removing it from her uterus. — Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin scalpellus, scalpellum, diminutive of scalper, scalprum chisel, knife, from scalpere to scratch, carve

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scalpel

• palpal

Kids Definition

scalpel

noun

scal·​pel ˈskal-pəl 

also skal-ˈpel

: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery

Medical Definition

scalpel

noun

scal·​pel

ˈskal-pəl also skal-ˈpel

: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery