forceps
nounUK /ˈfɔːsɛps/ · US /ˈfoɹsɛps/
Etymology Learned borrowing from Latin forceps.
1
An instrument used in surgery or medical procedures for grasping and holding objects, similar to tongs or pincers.
2
Biology, Entomology, Natural sciences A pair of appendages on the abdomen of some insects, such as earwigs, resembling the medical instrument.
- Synonyms
- pair of forceps
- Derived terms
- dressing forceps, eyelash forceps, forceps delivery, forceps-like, forcepslike, forcepstail, gonoforceps, microforceps, midforceps
- Hyponyms
- serrefine