safety pin

¹ American  

noun

1. a pin bent back on itself to form a spring, with a guard to cover the point.

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safety-pin ² American  

[seyf-tee-pin] / ˈseɪf tiˌpɪn /

verb (used with object)

safety-pinned, safety-pinning

1. to secure or affix with a safety pin.

   to safety-pin a child's mittens to his coat sleeve.

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safety pin British  

noun

1. a spring wire clasp with a covering catch, made so as to shield the point when closed and to prevent accidental unfastening

2. another word for pin

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Etymology

Origin of safety pin¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Origin of safety-pin²

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Adding insult to injury, to settle a debt, Hunt sold the 1849 patent rights for something that could have kept his legacy alive: the modern-day safety pin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

“But all the negotiation channels or mechanisms that North and South Korea had for preventing escalation or misunderstandings are gone. The safety pin has been pulled out.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2024

Jones recommends “tagging” any items you’re still wavering on with a safety pin.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2024

The next day, Ms Shergill swapped her flat shoes with stilettos and boarded the bus, armed with a safety pin.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2023

I affixed the black plastic cutlass to the side of my white vendor’s smock with a safety pin.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole