q-tip
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.25 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Alternative form of Q-tip.
noun
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.
verb
To clean with a Q-tip.
Example Sentences
- "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."
Etymology
American genericization from the brand name coined (and registered as the trademark "Q-TIPS") by Unilever; see tip. Q stands for quality.
Inflected Forms
q-tips (plural)
Q-tips (present, singular)
Q-tipping (participle, present)
Q-tipped (participle, past)
Q-tipped (past)