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pedicure

American  
[ped-i-kyoor] / ˈpɛd ɪˌkjʊər /

noun

  • pedicures
    plural
  1. professional care and treatment of the feet, as removal of corns and trimming of toenails.

  2. a single treatment of the feet.

  3. a podiatrist.


pedicure British  
/ ˈpɛdɪˌkjʊə /

noun

  1. professional treatment of the feet, either by a medical expert or a cosmetician

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns


Etymology

Origin of pedicure

From the French word pédicure, dating back to 1835–45. See pedi-, cure


Explanation

A pedicure is a treatment for your feet that feels good and usually leaves you with brightly painted toenails. You might have a pedicure as part of a visit to a spa — your toenails will be trimmed, filed, and polished, and your feet might even be massaged. When the attention is focused on your toes, it's a pedicure, while the same kind of treatment on your hands and fingernails is called a manicure. The word pedicure has Latin roots: ped, or "foot," and curare, "to care for."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing pedicure

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

I think it may be the single most revolting pedicure in the history of film.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

The pedicure was fine, though it was the one service I wasn’t completely thrilled with—but at such a reasonable price point, there wasn’t much to complain about.

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026

The head of Congress has demanded that MP Lucinda Vasquez be punished after she was photographed lounging on a sofa in her office while an adviser gave her a pedicure.

From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2025

Minutes earlier she was giving a customer a pedicure in a busy nail bar, but ran out the back when officers raided the shop.

From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024

The next day, when Willow handed her a detailed report on the incidence of infection from manicure and pedicure treatment, Pattie got angry.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

The nail salon where we’d last enjoyed pedicures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

Offering couples' services, body treatments, massages, manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing, there’s something for everyone.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2024

If you are generally in good health, regular pedicures at a nail salon may be an option — and allow you to avoid the cost of uncovered services at a podiatrist’s office, Kor says.

From Washington Post ● May 1, 2023

After stripping those out, services inflation — which includes health care, restaurant meals, pedicures and other non-goods purchases — has remained unusually rapid and has shown little sign of slowing down.

From New York Times ● Feb. 14, 2023

Grammy will never go for pedicures or enjoy shopping for pretty dresses.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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