From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishscalpelscal‧pel /ˈskælpəl/ noun [countable] MHa small, very sharp knife that is used by doctors in operations
Examples from the Corpus
scalpel• There he was handed a smock and a scalpel and one of the new surgical stapling devices.• One of the guys takes a scalpel from a holster at his belt.• In one later incarnation, she is depicted as severe, with a scalpel and a large pair of pincers.• The old sides can be removed by slicing through the silicone sealer with a razor or scalpel.• The business comprises two operations, Steriseal, which distributes medical and opthalmic products, and Rotax, which supplies scalpels.• She then unbuckled her right, and stood up, dropping the scalpel into a pocket, just in case.• Operating rooms come equipped with lasers and computers, not just the scalpels and saws of yesteryear.Origin scalpel (1700-1800) Latin scalpellum, from scalprum “knife”