toothpick

American  

[tooth-pik] / ˈtuθˌpɪk /

noun

• toothpicks
  plural

1. a small pointed piece of wood, plastic, etc., for removing substances, especially food particles, from between the teeth.

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toothpick British  

/ ˈtuːθˌpɪk /

noun

1. a small sharp sliver of wood, plastic, etc, used for extracting pieces of food from between the teeth

2. a slang word for bowie knife

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• toothpicks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of toothpick

First recorded in 1480–90; tooth + pick ²

Explanation

A toothpick is a device made for cleaning bits of food out of your teeth. Toothpicks are also used to pick up small appetizers or other tidbits. At a fancy party, use toothpicks for eating hors d'oeuvres, not for digging food out of your teeth! Tooth-picking is, in fact, the original intended use of these handy tools. Experts believe that toothpicks were invented long before modern humans evolved—there's evidence that Neanderthals used toothpicks. In the 17th century, toothpicks were a luxury (and sometimes made of silver), but by the early 20th century, factories were mass producing wooden toothpicks for everyone to enjoy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

toothpick toothpicks

Heavier spars require a larger sail while people who build miniature kites sometimes don’t include a spar or will only use half a toothpick, Choi said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2026

He recommends a toothpick or one of iFixit’s $15 cleaning kits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025

And when a Labrador retriever owned by another company officer gulped down a bagel impaled with a toothpick, he said, most of the resulting $10,5000 surgical bill was covered as well.

From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2024

James fixes the kestrel's wing using a toothpick in the hollow shaft of the feather as a termporary measure.

From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2024

He stared at me, his toothpick bobbing on his tongue.

From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys

“Once in a Lifetime” is part video display and part sculpture, made of tripods, toothpicks, lights, cardboard boxes and projectors that flicker images on the gallery walls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 2, 2026

For decades, steady revenue from oil and gas allowed Algeria to import everything from toothpicks to industrial machinery.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2024

"They would not say they were 'trapped' but there's no question it's been dangerous. We saw dramatic fire behaviour, with winds ripping up trees by their roots and laying them down like toothpicks."

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2023

And on top of that, you can even eat the "toothpicks?"

From Salon ● May 26, 2023

Massive tree trunks, though they looked like toothpicks from the air, slammed again and again into the bridge.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone