pliers

British  

/ ˈplaɪəz /

plural noun

1. a gripping tool consisting of two hinged arms with usually serrated jaws that close on the workpiece

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Etymology

Origin of pliers

C16: from _ply ¹

Explanation

A pair of pliers is a tool that you can use to twist metal or to grip a tiny object. Jewelry makers often use small, narrow pliers to bend thin pieces of wire. There are many different types of pliers that do various jobs, from large, wrench-like pliers that plumbers use on pipes to tiny "needle-nose pliers" that electricians can fit into narrow spaces and grip small wires. Why pliers always come in "pairs" like jeans, eyeglasses, and scissors is a bit of a mystery. The word stems from the verb ply, "work with" or "use."

Example Sentences

“Are they scrappy? Yes. Are they all working in bombed-out buildings with pliers found on the side of the road? No,” said Justin Zeefe, a founding partner at Los Angeles- and Kyiv-based Green Flag Ventures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025

Some of those remaining had deep gouging and scratches, which looked like marks left by pliers.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

Border Patrol agents used pliers to cut open a passage through the thickets of barbed wire.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2023

Keep a box with these essential basics: a tape measure, claw hammer, utility knife, level, crescent wrenches, hex keys, a handsaw, pliers, multiple screwdrivers and a collection of screws and nails.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2023

He took a piece of flint from his pocket and got the pair of pliers and struck the flint against the serrated jaw.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy