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cotter pin

noun

Definition of cotter pin

: a half-round metal strip bent into a pin whose ends can be flared after insertion through a slot or hole

Examples of cotter pin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Someone stole a Bluetooth speaker, a foot brake pedal cotter pin and cut electrical wiring from a parked motorcycle in the 100 block of South Marion Street between 9 a.m. May 27 and 1 p.m. May 29. — Pioneer Press Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Oak Park police: Pedestrian knocked to ground, robbed of cellphone," 3 June 2019 Most gas grill burner tubes are removable as well (look for simple cotter pins on one end, although some models use screws). — Joe Lindsey, Popular Mechanics, "How to Clean Your BBQ Grill," 14 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cotter pin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of cotter pin

1881, in the meaning defined above

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Statistics for cotter pin

Last Updated

9 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for cotter pin

The first known use of cotter pin was in 1881

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More from Merriam-Webster on cotter pin

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with cotter pin

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cotter pin

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