tweezers
/ˈtwiːzəz
/plural noun
(also a pair of tweezers) A small instrument like a pair of pincers for plucking out hairs and picking up small objects.Numerous methods are used for epilation, from tweezers to devices that pluck several hairs at once....
- If you have strays within your bikini line, you can pluck them with tweezers or trim them very carefully with scissors.
- She's bringing my tweezers so I can pluck my eyebrows on the way there.
Origin
Mid 17th century: extended form of obsolete tweeze 'case of surgical instruments', shortening of etweese, anglicized plural of etui.
In the 17th century a tweeze was a case of surgical instruments. It appears to be a shortened form of etweese, a plural of etui (early 17th century), which was a term for a small ornamental case for holding needles, cosmetics, and other articles, that came from French. In the mid 17th century tweeze was extended to tweezer, while the plural tweezes became tweezers. Trouse became trousers in much the same way. In the 1930s tweeze was re-formed from tweezers to mean ‘to pluck with tweezers’.