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.

---

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

---

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

For Jenga, it was how to add weight to the tiny blocks to make sure they could stack well—players still need to use a toothpick to slide them out.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Stick a toothpick in the center, serve on a large platter and enjoy.

From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026

All the toothpick stuff, that was her idea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2024

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

My cousins shift a little, and he pulls out something that he puts into his mouth—a toothpick.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

“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

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

From Salon ● May 26, 2023

Back in the costume department, the desks are covered in pins, cotton, fabric, toothpicks, glue bottles and scissors.

From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2023

Zayd’s so skinny, his arms are like toothpicks, and everyone is obsessed with feeding him.

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---