scalpel
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of scalpel
1735–45; < Latin scalpellum, diminutive of scalprum tool for scraping or paring (derivative of scalpere to scratch); for formation see castellum
Explanation
A scalpel is a special kind of knife used by doctors, particularly surgeons. Scalpels are small, lightweight, and have a fine, sharp blade. Most scalpels used in surgery have extremely sharp, removable blades that can be replaced. When a surgeon uses a scalpel, she holds it using either the "dinner knife" grip, for large incisions, or the "pencil" grip, for smaller cuts. A medical student dissecting an animal also uses a scalpel, and in some cases artists use them for making fine cuts. In Latin, a scalpellum is a "surgical knife," from scalpere, "to carve."
Vocabulary lists containing scalpel
Code Talker
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Salt to the Sea
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“How can we improve the product, make it out-and-out racing and look at what can improve in terms of safety. But act with a scalpel and not with a baseball bat.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff had previously on Monday described the changes as "acting with a scalpel and not with a baseball bat".
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
“It’s because governments usually resort to blunt instruments, opting for the bludgeon of sweeping tariffs and subsidies over the scalpel of industrial parks and skills development programs.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
But few legislators could handle a lawmaking scalpel like Burton.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2025
It felt like a sudden statement, but I realized only then that he’d been talking for a while; I was so focused on this flimsy scalpel in my hand that I hadn’t noticed.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
