- Also called: pair of scissors a cutting instrument used for cloth, hair, etc, having two crossed pivoted blades that cut by a shearing action, with ring-shaped handles at one end
- a wrestling hold in which a wrestler wraps his or her legs round an opponent's body or head, locks the feet together, and squeezes
- any gymnastic or athletic feat in which the legs cross and uncross in a scissor-like movement
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
scis•sors /ˈsɪzɚz/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a cutting instrument for paper, etc., made of two blades so fastened together at the center that their sharp edges work one against the other while cutting: [plural* used with a plural verb][countable]The scissors are on the table; could you hand them to me?[countable;
used with a singular verb;
a pair of + ~]There's a pair of scissors on the dresser; could you hand them to me?[countable* used with a singular verb]There's a scissors on the table; could you hand it to me?
scis•sors
(siz′ərz),USA pronunciation n.
- (used with a sing. or pl. v.) a cutting instrument for paper, cloth, etc., consisting of two blades, each having a ring-shaped handle, that are so pivoted together that their sharp edges work one against the other (often used with pair of ).
- Sport(used with a sing. v.) [Gymnastics.]any of several feats in which the legs execute a scissorlike motion.
- Sport(used with a sing. v.) [Wrestling.]a hold secured by clasping the legs around the body or head of the opponent.
- Medieval Latin *cīsōria, plural of Late Latin cīsōrium cutting tool (see chisel); current spelling, spelled by association with Latin scindere to cut (past participle scīssus), Medieval Latin scīssor tailor
- Middle French cisoires
- Middle English cisoures, sisoures 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
scissors /ˈsɪzəz/ pl n
scis•sor /ˈsɪzɚ/USA pronunciation v.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- [~ + object] to cut or clip out with scissors.
- [no object] to move one's body or legs like the blades of scissors.
n. [countable]
scis•sor
(siz′ər),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
- to cut or clip out with scissors.
- to eliminate or eradicate from a text;
expunge:testimony scissored from the record.
v.i.
- to move one's body or legs like the blades of scissors:a gymnast scissoring over the bar.
n.
- scissors.
- verb, verbal use of singular of scissors 1605–15
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
scissor /ˈsɪzə/ n
- (modifier) of or relating to scissors
'scissors' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
clip
- edge
- pinking shears
- scissor
- scissor-kick
- shear
- shears
- sidestroke
- snip
- snuffer
- trudgen
- tweezers
- by
- chatelaine
- ciseaux
- cut
- laparoscope
- nail scissors
- pair
- S, s
- sax
- scissorlike
- scissors chair
- scissors jack
- scissors kick
- scissors truss
- scythe
- secateurs