دبوس

Meaning

pin
peg, plug, rod, cudgel, any oblong instrument driven into or onto something
(figuratively) penis
iron mace
(regional) government informant

bowling pin

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dab.buːs/

A pre-Mamluk Turkic borrowing, from a cognate of Ottoman Turkish طوپوز (topuz, “iron mace”). The name of a pin may have additional connection to the root د ب ب (d b b) related to crawling, pushing in, compare also دَرْبَسَ (darbasa, “to shut”), and possibly, too, the name stuck owing to دِبْس (dibs, “molasses”).