noun
forceps
FAW-sehps
noun
1
A pincer-like instrument used by doctors and surgeons to grip and hold things.
"The surgeon used forceps to remove the splinter."
"Forceps were used to help deliver the baby."
How to Use Forceps
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA medical tool like tweezers or tongs, used for gripping small things.
Common mistake
Forceps is treated as both singular and plural — "a pair of forceps," not "a forcep."
Word Forms
forceps plural, forcipes plural, forcepses plural
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The surgeon used _____ to remove the splinter.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from Latin forceps, a tool name.