noun
burr
A rotating cutting tool for shaping hard material.
The jeweler uses a small burr to shape the metal.
Etymology
The older word names a prickly seed case. The rotary cutting tool takes its name from the rough or toothed surface that similarly projects around its working head.
More examples
- A carbide burr removes excess metal from the casting.
- The dentist fits a fresh burr into the drill.
- Rounded burrs carve shallow grooves in stone.
Forms
burr · burrs
Similar words
- cutter
- A broader term that includes nonrotating tools for cutting.
- bit
- A broader term for interchangeable drilling or cutting attachments.