rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryscalpelSurgical knife
noun

scalpel

SKAL-pul/ˈskælpəl/

A small, sharp knife used in surgery.

The scalpel has a slender handle and a short sharp blade.

An isolated reusable surgical scalpel, shown large enough to clearly distinguish its slender metal handle and short, exceptionally sharp curved blade.
Etymology
scalpLatinto carve, cut
+elLatindiminutive

The cutting root and diminutive combine in Latin scalpellum, a “little cutting tool,” formed from scalprum. Latin already used it for a surgical knife, retaining the connection between small size and specialized cutting.

In context

Small Town Monsters55:13
you see a true mutilation what you're looking at is almost a surgical excision of parts of the carcass um as if it's done with a scalpel and extremely sharp scalpel uh or something even finer than that
Night Visitors: On the Trail of UFOs - FULL MOVIE (Alien Abductions, UAP Mutilations, and Coverups!)

More examples

  • The surgeon requested a fresh scalpel.
  • Several sterile scalpels lay on the tray.
  • She placed the scalpel safely aside.

Forms

scalpel · scalpels