penknife

[ pen-nahyf ]
See synonyms for penknife on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural pen·knives.
  1. a small pocketknife, formerly one used for making and sharpening quill pens.

Origin of penknife

1
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at pen1, knife

Words Nearby penknife

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use penknife in a sentence

  • On the cover he had scratched an inscription with his penknife, "The Emperor to his little friend Julia."

    Napoleon's Young Neighbor | Helen Leah Reed

British Dictionary definitions for penknife

penknife

/ (ˈpɛnˌnaɪf) /


nounplural -knives
  1. a small knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle; pocketknife

Origin of penknife

1
C15: so called because it was originally used for making and repairing quill pens

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