forceps

See also: fòrceps, fórceps, and Forceps

English

plastic forceps

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-der.
Proto-Italic *-kaps
Proto-Italic *formokaps?
Latin forcepslbor.
English forceps

    Learned borrowing from Latin forceps.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    forceps (plural forceps or forcipes or forcepses)

    1. An instrument used in surgery or medical procedures for grasping and holding objects, similar to tongs or pincers.
    2. (entomology) A pair of appendages on the abdomen of some insects, such as earwigs, resembling the medical instrument.

    Usage notes

    Although the Latin word is singular, this word is often treated as a plurale tantum by analogy with names for similar items such as tongs and tweezers: this forceps or these forceps (or even pair of forceps).

    Synonyms

    Hyponyms

    Derived terms

    Translations

    Further reading

    French

    Etymology

      Learned borrowing from Latin forceps.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /fɔʁ.sɛps/

      Noun

      forceps m (invariable)

      1. (medicine) forceps

      Further reading

      Latin

      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-der.
      Proto-Italic *-kaps
      Proto-Italic *formokaps?
      Latin forceps

        Uncertain. Often derived from prehistoric *formokaps through syncope. Ultimately from formus (“warm”) +‎ -ceps (“taker”).[1] This etymology is partially based on Festus, who etymologizes the term as such:[2]

        It is not clear whether the term formucapes actually existed in Latin at some point, and it's possible that the derivation from formus is merely a folk etymology. De Vaan mentions two possible alternatives:[2]

        • It might reflect *foro-kaps-, itself from *foros.
        • It might contain an element related to ferrum (“iron”). In support of this theory, de Vaan notes that the word denotes a tool used by craftsmen.[2]

        Pronunciation

        Noun

        forceps m (genitive forcipis); third declension

        1. (pair of) tongs, pincers, forceps

        Declension

        Third-declension noun.

        singular plural
        nominative forceps forcipēs
        genitive forcipis forcipum
        dative forcipī forcipibus
        accusative forcipem forcipēs
        ablative forcipe forcipibus
        vocative forceps forcipēs

        Derived terms

        Descendants

        • Catalan: fòrceps
        • → English: forceps (learned)
        • → French: forceps (learned)
        • → German: Forzeps (learned)
        • Galician: fórceps
        • Italian: forcipe
        • Portuguese: fórceps, fórcipe
        • Sicilian: fòrcipi
        • Spanish: fórceps
        • → Turkish: forseps (learned)

        References

        1. ^ Sihler, Andrew L. (1995), New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 68: “formo-kap- 'hot-holder' > L forceps 'tongs'.”
        2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “forceps, -ipis”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 231-232
        • “forceps”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
        • “forceps”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
        • "forceps", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
        • “forceps”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
        • “forceps”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
        • “forceps”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

        Romanian

        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-der.
        Proto-Italic *-kaps
        Proto-Italic *formokaps?
        Latin forcepslbor.
        French forcepsbor.
        Romanian forceps

          Borrowed from French forceps.

          Noun

          forceps n (plural forcepsuri)

          1. forceps

          Declension

          singular plural
          indefinite definite indefinite definite
          nominative-accusative forceps forcepsul forcepsuri forcepsurile
          genitive-dative forceps forcepsului forcepsuri forcepsurilor
          vocative forcepsule forcepsurilor
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