paring knife

American  

[pair-ing nahyf] / ˈpɛər ɪŋ ˌnaɪf /

noun

paring knives plural

1. a short-bladed kitchen knife for paring fruits and vegetables.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• paring knives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of paring knife

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

In this class, he covers the basics of forging a simple utility paring knife, including heating the grip, grinding and finishing the blade.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2025

Use the dull side of a paring knife to scrape out the vanilla bean seeds and add them to the sugar, along with the lemon zest and the ground Earl Grey tea.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 15, 2023

Use a paring knife to peel fruits and vegetables, say, or devein shrimp.

From Washington Times • Jun. 9, 2023

Let the cake rest for about five minutes after removing it from the oven, then run a small paring knife around the edges.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2023

In one hand, I remember, he carried a green apple, a small paring knife in the other.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien