A Scalpel Is a Little Carving Knife
A scalpel is a small surgical blade. Its name is a Latin diminutive, and the modern design separates handle from blade for a reason.
A scalpel is a small sharp blade used in surgery and dissection. Latin *scalpellum* is the diminutive of *scalprum*, a knife or chisel, from *scalpere*, to carve. Modern scalpels use detachable blades so a fresh sterile edge can be fitted for every procedure — the handle is reused, the blade never is.
- A small surgical knife. *A number ten scalpel.*
- Precision (figurative). *Applied with a scalpel, not an axe.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | scalpel | A sterile scalpel. |
| Plural | scalpels | Trays of scalpels. |
| Related | blade | A fresh blade. |
| Related | incision | A small incision. |
| Related | dissection | Careful dissection. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The surgeon asked for a fresh blade.Blades are single use.
- The cuts were made with a scalpel, not an axe.A common political metaphor.
- Scalpel handles are numbered by size.So are the blades.
Surgical instruments
- Scalpel — for cutting
- Forceps — for gripping
- Retractor — for holding tissue aside
- Haemostat — for clamping blood vessels
- Suture — the thread used to close a wound
From Latin *scalpellum*, a small knife, the diminutive of *scalprum*, from *scalpere*, to cut or scratch — the same root as *sculpt*.
Are scalpel blades reused?
No. Disposable blades are standard, fitted to a reusable handle and discarded in a sharps container after use.
Are scalpel and sculpture related?
Yes. Both come from Latin verbs meaning to carve or cut, and the family also includes sculptor.