Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

forceps

/ˈfoɹsɛps/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.63 in modern English

Syllables
for-ceps
IPA
/ˈfoɹsɛps/
14
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An instrument used in surgery or medical procedures for grasping and holding objects, similar to tongs or pincers.

noun

A pair of appendages on the abdomen of some insects, such as earwigs, resembling the medical instrument.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰer- Proto-Indo-European *-mós Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰormós Proto-Italic *xʷormos Proto-Italic *formos substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Italic *-s Proto-Italic *-kap-s Proto-Italic *formokaps? Latin forcepslbor. English forceps Learned borrowing from Latin forceps.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈfoɹsɛps/
  • British English: /ˈfɔːsɛps/

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Medicine.

Inflected Forms

forcipes (plural) forcepses (plural)

Derived Forms

forcepslike forcepstail gonoforceps microforceps midforceps

Phrases

dressing forceps eyelash forceps forceps delivery forceps-like

Synonyms

pair of forceps

Questions

How do you pronounce forceps?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfoɹsɛps/.
What does forceps mean?
An instrument used in surgery or medical procedures for grasping and holding objects, similar to tongs or pincers.
Where does forceps come from?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰer- Proto-Indo-European *-mós Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰormós Proto-Italic *xʷormos Proto-Italic *formos substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti Proto-Italic *kapjō Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Italic *-s Proto-Italic *-kap-s Proto-Italic *formokaps? Latin forcepslbor. English forceps Learned borrowing from Latin forceps.

How to pronounce forceps

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “forceps”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfoɹsɛps/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “forceps”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “forceps” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.