lancet

noun

lan·​cet ˈlan(t)-sət 

1

: a sharp-pointed and commonly 2-edged surgical instrument used to make small incisions

2

a

: lancet window

b

: lancet arch

Examples of lancet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The lancet is a single-use device that collects whole liquid blood samples and is cleared for premarket use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. —Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025

The instructions said the test would take 20 minutes and require a pack of lancets. —Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025

The first lancet pricked my skin with alarming precision. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024

Another example is the lancet liver fluke (Dicrocoelium dendriticum), which infects the brains of ants, altering their behavior to increase the likelihood that they will be eaten by grazing animals. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing lancet

• lancet arch
• lancet window

Kids Definition

lancet

noun

lan·​cet ˈlan(t)-sət 

: a sharp-pointed and usually two-edged surgical instrument

Medical Definition

lancet

noun

lan·​cet ˈlan(t)-sət 

: a sharp-pointed and commonly two-edged surgical instrument used to make small incisions (as in a vein or a boil)

called also lance