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Definition of tongs

tongs

/tɔːŋz/
tongs
Plural:tongs
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tongs Lexical Profile

tongs Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A tool consisting of two movable arms joined at one end, used for picking up, holding, or manipulating objects without touching them directly.

Example

"She used a pair of tongs to flip the hot steaks on the grill."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for tongs

Word Nuance & Usage

Like 'scissors' or 'glasses', 'tongs' is grammatically treated as a plural noun (plurale tantum) and is often counted using the phrase 'a pair of tongs'.

• Nearby Words

tone river
tong
tonga
tongs
tongue
tonguefish
tonic

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'tang' or 'tange', derived from Proto-Germanic '*tangō' meaning 'that which bites' or 'pinches', connected to the root of the verb 'take'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tongs. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tongs
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