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strigil

Syllabification: (strig·il)
Pronunciation: /ˈstrijəl/
Definition of strigil

noun

  • an instrument with a curved blade used, especially by ancient Greeks and Romans, to scrape sweat and dirt from the skin in a hot-air bath or after exercise; a scraper.
  • Entomology a comblike structure on the forelegs of some insects, used chiefly for grooming.

Origin:

from Latin strigilis, from stringere 'touch lightly'. The term in entomology dates from the late 19th century

strigil in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of strigil in the British & World English dictionary
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