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penknife

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

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

Words nearby penknife

Penitente, penitential, penitential Psalm, penitentiary, Penki, penknife, penlight, penman, penmanship, Penn, penna
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to penknife

flick knife, pocketknife, switchblade

How to use penknife in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for penknife

penknife
/ (ˈpɛnˌnaɪf) /
noun plural -knives
a small knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle; pocketknife

Word Origin for penknife

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
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