pince-nez

noun

paⁿs-ˈnā How to pronounce pince-nez (audio)
pan(t)s-
plural pince-nez paⁿs-ˈnā(z) How to pronounce pince-nez (audio)
pan(t)s-
: eyeglasses clipped to the nose by a spring

Illustration of pince-nez

Illustration of pince-nez

Examples of pince-nez 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.
Inside, a huge man with a knee-length beard and red hat greeted my daughters, his eyes sparkling behind a pair of pince-nez. Monisha Rajesh, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

French, from pincer to pinch + nez nose, from Latin nasus — more at nose

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pince-nez was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near pince-nez

Cite this Entry

“Pince-nez.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pince-nez. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

pince-nez

noun
pan(t)-ˈsnā
plural pince-nez
-ˈsnā(z)
: eyeglasses clipped to the nose by a spring

More from Merriam-Webster on pince-nez

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!