noun
toothpick
TOOTH-pihk
noun
1
A small pointed stick used to remove bits of food from between the teeth.
"He chewed on a toothpick after finishing his steak."
"The waiter brought a plate of olives with toothpicks stuck in them."
2
A very thin person (informal).
"After the illness he'd become a toothpick, barely more than skin and bone."
How to Use Toothpick
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe tiny wooden stick used after a meal to clean between teeth, or, informally, a very skinny person.
Common pairings
wooden toothpick
chew on a toothpick
Word Forms
toothpicked past tense, toothpicks plural, toothpicks singular
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Etymology
A compound of "tooth" and "pick" — literally a tool for picking at your teeth.