pocketknife

American  

[pok-it-nahyf] / ˈpɒk ɪtˌnaɪf /

noun

• pocketknives
  plural

1. a knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle, suitable for carrying in the pocket.

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pocketknife British  

/ ˈpɒkɪtˌnaɪf /

noun

1. a small knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle; penknife

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pocketknives
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of pocketknife

First recorded in 1720–30; pocket + knife

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Explanation

A pocketknife is a folding knife that's small enough to fit in your pocket. Some fancy pocketknives have many blades and little tools that can fold back into the handle. You can also call a pocketknife a jackknife, or in Britain, a penknife. Pocketknives' blades fold into their handles, so you can safely carry the knife in your pocket or bag. Multi-tool pocketknives, in addition to sharp blades, often have tiny screwdrivers, files, bottle openers, and other tools. Pocketknives are used for whittling, hunting, cutting twine, slicing fruit, and many other tasks.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pocketknife pocketknives

Using the Florida law as an example, perhaps the suspect happens to be carrying a pocketknife.

From Slate ● Dec. 6, 2024

“We were given a free pocketknife during our trainings, and I had that pocketknife on me, so I was able to cut her out of her seatbelt,” he said in a phone interview on Saturday.

From New York Times ● Mar. 2, 2024

The 9th Circuit panel found that the state had failed to prove they were either of those things, with Bea writing that they are “simply a pocketknife with an extra rotating handle.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2023

Ward searched through his pockets, pulling out two lighters, and told McWhorter he might have a pocketknife.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 24, 2023

Warren was sitting on a box with his pocketknife and a whetstone and looked up, startled, as they came.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Or, they exempted pocketknives, Bea said — meaning, in his estimation, that they would not justify a modern ban on a butterfly knife.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2023

My colleague developed a technique of cutting blocks with his chainsaw, and then the rest of us would sit around with our field pocketknives and split them.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 13, 2022

There are hoodies, sneakers, and off-the-wall branded goods, from pocketknives to fire extinguishers.

From The New Yorker ● Jun. 28, 2016

The site also sells ties, T-shirts and pocketknives.

From New York Times ● Jul. 10, 2013

But they also talked about games at recess, and friends who shared candy at lunchtime or loaned them pocketknives to carve with.

From "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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