Spanish word

sacapuntas

Pronunciation

IPA/sakaˈpuntas/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpencil sharpener

Example

Necesito un sacapuntas.

I need a pencil sharpener.

Illustration for sacapuntas (pencil sharpener)

More examples

Siempre llevo un sacapuntas portátil en la mochila.

I always carry a portable pencil sharpener in my backpack.

Core concept

Small handheld tool for shaving the wood around a pencil to expose its point.

Common phrases

  • sacapuntas portátil

    portable pencil sharpener

  • sacapuntas con depósito

    pencil sharpener with shavings container

  • sacapuntas escolar

    school pencil sharpener

Similar words

afilalápices: Tool that grinds the pencil's core to produce a fine, controlled point.
tajalápices: Tool that cuts the pencil's wooden casing with a blade to reveal and shape the lead.

Definition in Spanish

Aparato pequeño que sirve para afilar lápices quitando la madera que rodea la mina, pudiendo ser manual o eléctrico.

Word origin

From Spanish sacar "to take out" plus puntas "tips", originally meaning "thing that brings out the tip", now used for the device that exposes and shapes a pencil's point.

Usage tips

  • Despite ending in -s, sacapuntas is a singular noun in Spanish (el sacapuntas), so use singular articles and verbs.

Word lists with this word