penknife

Meaning

Noun

1. A small pocketknife; (loosely) any pocketknife.
2. (dated) A small knife designed for safe and convenient storage, typically in the form of a miniature clasp-knife, or with blade retractable into the handle.
3. (archaic) A small knife for cutting the points of quill feathers or reeds into nibs to provide or repair writing implements, early versions were commonly small sheath knives.

Verb

To cut or carve with a penknife.

Synonyms

knife

🔪

pocketknife

jackknife

clasp knife

clasp-knife

pocket knife

folding

pen knife

pocket-knife

shaving

switchblade

jack knife

Translations

canif

temperino

navaja

🪒

Taschenmesser

cortaplumas

canivete

σουγιάς

canivete suíço

zakmes

σουγιαδάκι

coltellino

navalla

🪒

çakı

ganivet de butxaca

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: penne knyfe

In summary

From Middle English penne knyfe; equivalent to pen + knife. In the original sense, named for its purpose: aiding the use of a (traditional) ink pen through the following tasks: trimming the tip of a quill pen, trimming a reed for a nib, and (in some cases) allowing erasure by scraping away some ink.