scalpel

noun

scal·​pel ˈskal-pəl How to pronounce scalpel (audio)
also
skal-ˈpel How to pronounce scalpel (audio)
: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery

Examples of scalpel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web It can be done in-office by a licensed aesthetician with a surgical scalpel, or even at home with a proper dermaplaning device. Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Aug. 2023 Joshua Jackson, who plays Duntsch, and Christian Slater, who plays the doctor trying to stop Duntsch from ever picking up a scalpel again. Deanna Janes, Harper's BAZAAR, 24 July 2023 The inspectors disassembled the weapons using screwdrivers, scalpels, wrenches, and a digital camera, searching for anything that might reveal where a circuit board, motor controller, accelerometer, or fuel pump was made. David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 21 Apr. 2023 The video, with a team of Black women wielding scalpels, is a gory comeuppance. Cate McQuaid, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2023 In many scientific disciplines randomized trial methods are fundamentally inappropriate—akin to using a scalpel to mow a lawn. Matthew Oliver, Scientific American, 5 May 2023 Standard rear-axle steering, which can turn up to 3.6 degrees, adds more precision to the AMG's cornering, but the car still feels more like a speedo-smashing hammer than a delicate lateral-g scalpel. Andrew Krok, Car and Driver, 5 May 2023 During the Procedure Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the surgeon will use a scalpel to cut and excise the cyst and sinus, including the skin, pores, underlying tissue, and hair follicles surrounding the infection.2 The area will be suctioned to remove pus and cleaned with saline. Scott Sundick, Verywell Health, 25 June 2023 Teetering on the brink, the rumor mill churning, and the scalpels sharpened for the pending autopsy, the Celtics kept their season and their aspirations alive Tuesday night with a 116-99 victory over the host Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 24 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scalpel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of scalpel was in 1742

Dictionary Entries Near scalpel

Cite this Entry

“Scalpel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scalpel. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

scalpel

noun
scal·​pel ˈskal-pəl How to pronounce scalpel (audio)
 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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