What does scissor mean?
Scissor is a noun and verb with a specialized but recognizable range of uses. As a noun, it can identify one blade of a pair of scissors or, particularly in North American English, refer to the complete cutting tool. As a verb, it means to cut, trim, divide, or shape something with scissors, as in “the crew scissored a hole in the sail.” The word is less common than the ordinary plural scissors, whose plural ending is traditionally regarded as part of the word rather than a regular inflection. Scissor nevertheless remains useful in mechanical descriptions, where an adjustable blade or lifting mechanism may be called a scissor, and in idiomatic or literary descriptions of cutting motions. Its history comes through Latin forms associated with cutting and division, while modern usage has narrowed its role compared with the more familiar scissors.
One of the two blades of a pair of scissors; in chiefly North American usage, a pair of scissors considered as a whole.
"The hydraulic lift used a scissor to raise the platform."
Outside North American technical contexts, singular scissor is uncommon when referring to the complete tool; use scissors instead.
To cut, trim, divide, or shape something with scissors or a similar cutting instrument.
"The tailor scissored the fabric along the chalk line."
This is more formal or descriptive than the usual verb cut and is especially common in technical and literary contexts.
The plural is lexicalized and is used to refer to a single pair of scissors; it does not normally take a final s in the regular way.
"The tailor picked up a pair of scissors and cut through the thread."
The familiar plural scissors is actually a lexicalized plural, while the singular scissor survived mainly in technical and North American contexts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of scissor
The word comes ultimately from Latin scindere, “to cut,” through the agent noun scissor, “a cutter,” and the related participial form scissus, “cut.” In English, the tool acquired the plural form scissors, which became the standard name for the complete instrument. The singular scissor was retained in some mechanical and North American uses, and the verb developed from the sense of cutting with an instrument.
Related word forms
How scissor is actually used
In standard British English, scissors is normally used for the whole tool, and singular scissor is uncommon except when referring to an individual blade or to an adjustable mechanism. In North American English, scissor is more frequently used for the complete pair, especially in technical and industrial contexts. As a verb, scissor is formal or specialized compared with the everyday use of cut.
Easily confused with scissor
Scissors is the usual name for the complete two-bladed tool, while scissor can refer to one blade or, chiefly in North American usage, to the tool as a whole.