toothpick

noun

tooth·​pick ˈtüth-ˌpik How to pronounce toothpick (audio)
: a pointed instrument (such as a slender tapering piece of wood) for removing food particles lodged between the teeth

Examples of toothpick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges of the cake are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges of cakes begin to pull away from sides of pan, 23 to 25 minutes. Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024 Then gently blend the edges of the dots together using a toothpick before applying another layer of topcoat to seal the design. Lisa Desantis, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2023 And have no fear: That frosting design is made with a simple toothpick. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2024 At baseball’s winter meetings after the 1980 season, there was talk of banning the toothpick. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Wrap this sweet bacon around a salty mini smoked hot dog and secure it with a toothpick for a perfect flavorful treat. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024 Kyle Shanahan hoists the Lombardi Trophy high enough for the football gods to use as a toothpick. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 2 Feb. 2024 Food coloring is used to impart a green hue to the toothpicks, made from sweet potato or corn starch, which are seen as being environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Reuters, NBC News, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toothpick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toothpick was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near toothpick

Cite this Entry

“Toothpick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toothpick. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

toothpick

noun
tooth·​pick -ˌpik How to pronounce toothpick (audio)
: a pointed instrument (as a thin piece of wood) for removing substances caught between the teeth

Medical Definition

toothpick

noun
tooth·​pick -ˌpik How to pronounce toothpick (audio)
: a pointed instrument (as a slender tapering piece of wood) used for removing food particles lodged between the teeth

More from Merriam-Webster on toothpick

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!