tongue depressor

noun

US
: a thin piece of wood that is rounded at both ends and that a doctor uses to press down on a patient's tongue when looking in the patient's throat

Examples of tongue depressor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There's truly nothing like licking that paper lid, then shoveling that tiny tongue depressor into a child-sized serving of vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025 Your healthcare provider may notice the change in appearance by looking in your mouth with a tongue depressor and a small light. Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2025 Additional tools include tweezers, a tongue depressor (which also doubles as a finger splint), thermal blanket, cold pack, and tweezers. Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2023

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“Tongue depressor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tongue%20depressor. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

tongue depressor

noun
: a thin wooden blade rounded at both ends that is used to depress the tongue to allow for inspection of the mouth and throat
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