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: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery
Examples of scalpel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Taking the same medicine to treat two different conditions is two different treatments, just as using a scalpel to remove a brain tumor is a different treatment than using a scalpel to perform a lobotomy.
—The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
Opening with the calamitous IPO of a green-energy startup managed by the series’ fictional banking giant, Pierpoint & Co., the season took a scalpel to the hypocrisy-prone phenomenon of socially conscious capitalism.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024
Removing fat from beneath this broad muscle requires a scalpel and a surgeon who specializes in deep neck surgery.
—Jolene Edgar, Allure, 20 Nov. 2024
That’s like hiring a surgeon who has never lifted a scalpel.
—Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 16 Nov. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Latin scalpellus, scalpellum, diminutive of scalper, scalprum chisel, knife, from scalpere to scratch, carve
First Known Use
1742, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near scalpel
Cite this Entry
“Scalpel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scalpel. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
scalpel
noun
scal·pel
ˈskal-pəl
also skal-ˈpel
: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery
Medical Definition
scalpel
noun
scal·pel
ˈskal-pəl also skal-ˈpel
: a small straight thin-bladed knife used especially in surgery
More from Merriam-Webster on scalpel
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for scalpel
Nglish: Translation of scalpel for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of scalpel for Arabic Speakers
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