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# scalpel

«scalpel» in Mova's school dictionary: **A small, very sharp knife used by surgeons in operations** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a scalpel, scalpels)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A small, very sharp knife used by surgeons in operations. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#m1)

2) A similar sharp knife used in science, art or crafts for precise cutting. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In science and health lessons surgeons use scalpels to make clean, careful cuts. In design and technology older pupils may use a craft knife or scalpel with a safety mat and supervision. In stories it appears in hospital scenes. Phrases: «surgeon's scalpel», «scalpel blade».

### examples

- The surgeon asked for a scalpel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#x1)
- A scalpel is sharper than a kitchen knife. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#x2)
- Only adults should use a scalpel in the art room. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#x3)
- The scientist cut the leaf with a scalpel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#x4)
- Each scalpel blade is used once and then thrown away safely. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#x5)
- The nurse counted the scalpels after the operation. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/#x6)

### note

Countable: scalpels. Pronounced «SKAL-pul». Safety: scalpel blades go in a sharps bin, never the normal rubbish.

### In the corpora

- [The blue tang has a sharp spine near its tail that it uses like a scalpel for defence.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/90-aquarium-the-coral-reef-tank/7/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «scalpel» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scalpel/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.