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toothpick

noun
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tooth·​pick | \ ˈtüth-ˌpik How to pronounce toothpick (audio) \

Definition of toothpick

: a pointed instrument (such as a slender tapering piece of wood) for removing food particles lodged between the teeth

Examples of toothpick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Simmer 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. — Sharyn Jackson, Star Tribune, "Time travel for Christmas dinner with this 1904 Gold Medal Flour cookbook," 23 Dec. 2020 Poke holes all over top of cake with a thin wooden skewer or toothpick. — Dawn Perry, Country Living, "Lemon-Rosemary Tea Bread," 14 Dec. 2020 Remove any nitty-gritty grime from button crevices with a toothpick, then dry the remote with a lint-free cloth and reinstall the batteries. — Brigitt Earley, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Should Clean At Home After Someone Has Been Sick," 11 Dec. 2020 Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. — Dawn Perry, Country Living, "Lemon-Rosemary Tea Bread," 14 Dec. 2020 Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating from front to back halfway through, until the edges and top have a golden crust but the middle remains slightly underdone, with a toothpick inserted in the center pulling up moist crumbs. — Washington Post, "These chewy, date- and walnut-packed bars are called ‘food for the gods’ with good reason," 2 Dec. 2020 Spear one truffle with a toothpick and dip in the melted chocolate. — Akili King, Vogue, "6 Chefs Share Their Favorite Vegan Recipes For the Holiday Season," 24 Nov. 2020 Place the pan in the oven and bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, "A crumb cake that’s worth digging into," 6 Nov. 2020 Swiss Army Pocket Knife provides you with seven tools at your fingertips: a blade, nail file, screwdriver, scissors, key ring, tweezers and toothpick. — Zoe Malin, NBC News, "Amazon gift guides and gift ideas for the 2020 holiday season," 24 Nov. 2020

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

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First Known Use of toothpick

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for toothpick

Time Traveler

The first known use of toothpick was in the 15th century

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Statistics for toothpick

Last Updated

12 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Toothpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothpick. Accessed 15 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for toothpick

toothpick

noun
How to pronounce toothpick (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of toothpick

: a short, pointed stick used for removing small pieces of food from between your teeth

See the full definition for toothpick in the English Language Learners Dictionary

toothpick

noun
tooth·​pick | \ ˈtüth-ˌpik How to pronounce toothpick (audio) \

Kids Definition of toothpick

: a pointed instrument for removing bits of food caught between the teeth

toothpick

noun
tooth·​pick | \ -ˌpik How to pronounce toothpick (audio) \

Medical Definition of toothpick

: a pointed instrument (as a slender tapering piece of wood) used for removing food particles lodged between the teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on toothpick

Nglish: Translation of toothpick for Spanish Speakers

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