French word

ciseau

Pronunciation

IPA/sizo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounchisel

Example

Passe-moi le ciseau, s'il te plaît.

Pass me the chisel, please.

Illustration for ciseau (chisel)

More examples

J'ai besoin d'un ciseau pour réparer cette chaise.

I need a chisel to repair this chair.

Core concept

A sturdy blade fixed to a handle, pressed or struck to shape a hard surface.

Common phrases

  • un ciseau à bois

    a wood chisel

  • avoir besoin d'un ciseau

    to need a chisel

  • prêter un ciseau

    to lend a chisel

Similar words

ciseaux: A tool with two blades that move together to cut cloth or paper.
couteau: A handheld blade for cutting food or other materials.
tournevis: A rod-shaped tool with a tip for tightening or loosening screws.

Definition in French

Outil à manche et à lame rigide, employé pour tailler ou enlever des copeaux dans le bois et d'autres matériaux.

Word origin

French ciseau developed from Old French cisel, which derives from Latin caesellum, a small cutting instrument related to caedere, "to cut".

Usage tips

  • Ciseau and ciseaux are pronounced alike, but ciseaux usually means scissors and commonly occurs in une paire de ciseaux.

Related words

  • ciselerchiselverb
  • ciseléchiseledadjective

Word lists with this word