Q-tip

noun, verb — 2 senses

Q-tip

noun

Etymology American genericization from the brand name coined (and registered as the trademark "Q-TIPS") by Unilever; see tip. Q stands for quality.

A cotton swab consisting of short, thin, flexible plastic rods with a swab of cotton/cotton wool at each end; they are typically used for cleaning the ears and other hard-to-reach places.

Q-tip

verb

Etymology American genericization from the brand name coined (and registered as the trademark "Q-TIPS") by Unilever; see tip. Q stands for quality.

To clean with a Q-tip.

He disposed of his black outfit, doomed to incineration, and took a quick antimicrobial-enhanced shower […] lathering his face, sanctifying his pits, and Q-tipping his pointy ears.2013, Margaret Atwood, MaddAddam, Bloomsbury, page 310:

Synonyms: cotton wool bud

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.