pincushion

American

[pin-koosh-uhn] / ˈpɪnˌkʊʃ ən /

noun

a small cushion into which pins are stuck until needed.

pincushion British

/ ˈpɪnˌkʊʃən /

noun

a small well-padded cushion in which pins are stuck ready for use

"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

Etymology

Origin of pincushion

First recorded in 1625–35; pin + cushion

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.

Discovered in 1852, Psyche has the width of Massachusetts, a squashed spherical shape reminiscent of a pincushion, and an orbit between Mars and Jupiter in the main asteroid belt.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2023

‘Little Penny’ is a pincushion of a plant, the smallest coreopsis ever — ideal for tucking into pots, where its copper-colored flowers will set off darks or brights.

From Seattle Times • May 28, 2022

While the pincushion Protea flower was recognizable from grocery story bouquets, other examples, such as the furry, pinkish teddy bear banksia, seemed straight out of science fiction.

From Washington Post • May 26, 2022

A velvet pincushion in the shape of an aubergine, bought in New York in 1992.

From The Guardian • Oct. 24, 2020

Sam Houston gave me a buttonhook, and Lamar gave me a pincushion shaped like a fat red tomato.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023