language note: The form scissor is used as a modifier.
plural noun [oft a pair ofNOUN]
Scissors are a small cutting tool with two sharp blades that are screwed together. You use scissors for cutting things such as paper and cloth.
He told me to get some scissors.
She picked up a pair of scissors from the windowsill.
scissors in British English
(ˈsɪzəz)
plural noun
1. Also called: pair of scissors
a cutting instrument used for cloth, hair, etc, having two crossed pivoted blades that cut by a shearing action, with ring-shaped handles at one end
2.
a wrestling hold in which a wrestler wraps his or her legs round an opponent's body or head, locks the feet together, and squeezes
3.
any gymnastic or athletic feat in which the legs cross and uncross in a scissor-like movement
4. athletics
a technique in high-jumping, now little used, in which the legs perform a scissor-like movement in clearing the bar
Derived forms
scissor-like (ˈscissor-ˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C14 sisoures, from Old French cisoires, from Vulgar Latin cīsōria (unattested), ultimately from Latin caedere to cut; see chisel
scissors in American English
(ˈsɪzərz)
noun
1. [also with pl. v.]
a cutting instrument, usually smaller than shears, with two opposing blades, each having a looped handle, which are pivoted together in the middle so that they work against each other as the instrument is closed on the paper, cloth, etc. to be cut
2.
a.
a gymnastic feat or exercise in which the legs are moved in a way suggestive of the opening and closing of scissor blades
b.
scissors hold
Word origin
ME sisoures < OFr cisoires < LL cisoria, pl. of cisorium, cutting tool < L caedere, to cut: E sp. altered by assoc. with L scissor, one who cuts < scissus, pp. of scindere, to cut
He scrambled down the bank, taking a mirror and shaving gear and scissors with him.
Cleary, Jon MURDER SONG (1990)
Doubled in size, the scissors no longer slipped easily through the permanent track.
Brierley, David SNOWLINE (1990)
He found some gauze and brought it back, with tape and a pair of scissors.
Miller, Sue FAMILY PICTURES (1990)
In other languages
scissors
British English: scissors /ˈsɪzəz/ NOUN
Scissors are a small tool with two sharp blades which are screwed together. You use scissors for cutting things such as paper and cloth.
She picked up a pair of scissors.
American English: scissors
Arabic: مِقَصّ
Brazilian Portuguese: tesoura
Chinese: 剪刀
Croatian: škare
Czech: nůžky
Danish: saks
Dutch: schaar
European Spanish: tijeras
Finnish: sakset
French: ciseaux
German: Schere
Greek: ψαλίδι
Italian: forbici
Japanese: はさみ
Korean: 가위
Norwegian: saks
Polish: nożyce
European Portuguese: tesoura
Romanian: foarfece
Russian: ножницы
Latin American Spanish: tijeras
Swedish: sax
Thai: กรรไกร
Turkish: makas
Ukrainian: ножиці
Vietnamese: kéo
All related terms of 'scissors'
scissor
of or relating to scissors
nail scissors
Nail scissors are small scissors that you use for cutting your nails.
scissors hold
a wrestling hold in which one contestant clasps the other with the legs
scissors jump
a type of jump involving a scissor-like movement of the legs
scissors kick
a swimming kick , used esp. in the sidestroke , in which the motion of the legs is similar to the opening and closing of scissor blades
manicure scissors
scissors for manicuring or trimming the nails
pinking scissors
scissors with a serrated edge on one or both blades , producing a wavy edge to material cut, thus preventing fraying
pair of scissors
a cutting instrument used for cloth , hair, etc, having two crossed pivoted blades that cut by a shearing action, with ring-shaped handles at one end
scissors-and-paste
designating or of a piece of writing that has been assembled from a variety of sources rather than by original research , often in a hasty or uninspired way
cutting-out scissors
a type of scissors used to cut out pieces of fabric for sewing
rock-paper-scissors
a method of selecting , for example , which of two people perform a task : each person simultaneously makes one of three hand gestures representing a rock , a sheet of paper , and a pair of scissors respectively . Each gesture defeats one and is defeated by one of the other two: rock defeats scissors but is defeated by paper; paper defeats rock but is defeated by scissors. The person whose gesture defeats the other is selected
scissor-kick
a type of swimming kick used esp in the sidestroke , in which one leg is moved forward and the other bent back and they are then brought together again in a scissor-like action
scissors-and-paste job
if you describe a piece of work as a scissors and paste job, you mean that it has been mechanically compiled , as if by simply cutting and pasting different parts to make a new whole
scissor jump
a type of jump involving a scissor-like movement of the legs