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

Using pliers, a hot soldering iron, scissors and other tools, Terrell Glenn and Cierra Milton taught participants how to assemble and connect a large button to a battery-operated toy.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 22, 2023

His AK-47 is slung over his shoulder; on his body armour hangs a spoon, a can opener, and a small pair of pliers.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2023

He has seen the worst that life can offer, and now his art, whether by paintbrush, pliers or microphone, is made with those stakes in mind.

From Washington Post • Mar. 10, 2023

Next to a rope the most important tool a rider carried was a pair of fencing pliers.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko