nail polishern.
/ˈneɪlˌpɒlᵻʃə/, U.S. /ˈneɪlˌpɑlɪʃər/ 1. A tool or appliance for polishing fingernails or toenails.
ΚΠ
1896 Harper's Mag. Nov. 56 (advt.) This Sterling-Silver Nail Polisher sent, prepaid, to any address on receipt of $1.75.
1913 E. Wharton Custom of Country i. i. 13 Mrs. Heeny, driving her nail-polisher cheeringly.
1999 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 11 Dec. 12 Her young charges' preoccupation with eyebrow curlers and electric nail polishers.
2. A person who polishes fingernails or toenails; spec. (depreciative) a manicurist.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the body > [noun] > beautification of the hands and feet > one who treats hands
manicure1877
manicurist1889
nail polisher1949
1854 ‘F. Fern’ Fern Leaves 2nd Ser. 313 She ought to be promoted to the dignity of toenail polisher to Queen Victoria.]
1949 K. John tr. O. Nansen From Day to Day 148 He..was cleaning his nails, polishing them... Prisoner after prisoner stepped forward, walked past the nail polisher, and fell in on the left.
1988 Newday (Nassau & Suffolk) (Nexis) 28 Dec. ii. 4 Nail polishers were called manicurists.
2000 Toronto Sun (Nexis) 6 Aug. s2 The English singer pays for manicurist Joe Carlisle to fly from her Liverpool salon..and it still works out cheaper than hiring a nail polisher from London.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1896