Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

letter opener en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. Any of several devices for opening letters, either by breaking wax seals or (as is usually the case today) by cutting open their envelopes. ▸ A device shaped like a fixed-blade knife, usually with a blunt edge; the blunt edge does not slice the envelope so much as precisely tear it.
  2. Any of several devices for opening letters, either by breaking wax seals or (as is usually the case today) by cutting open their envelopes. ▸ The same sort of device but with a sharpened edge, designed to appeal to customers who enjoy a sharpened one (regardless of whether or not it truly outperforms the nonsharp counterpart).
  3. Any of several devices for opening letters, either by breaking wax seals or (as is usually the case today) by cutting open their envelopes. ▸ A device incorporating a small razor-style blade in the crotch of a U-shaped plastic handle; it slices the envelope while being, like a safety razor, unlikely to cut the user accidentally.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
letter openers Number=Plur lexicographic
letter-opener alternative lexicographic

Coordinates

paperknife[Appendix:Glossary

Relateds

letter carrier · letterbox

Translations (30)

ru нож для конве́ртов (knifelike device) · el χαρτοκόπτης (knifelike device) · de Brieföffner (knifelike device) · tr zarf açacağı (knifelike device) · ro deschizător de scrisori (knifelike device) · hu papírvágó kés (knifelike device) · ga scian pháipéir (knifelike device) · ru нож для вскры́тия конве́ртов (knifelike device) · sv brevöppnare (knifelike device) · sv papperskniv (knifelike device) · ro tăietor de hârtie (knifelike device) · ca obrecartes (knifelike device) · ca tallapapers (knifelike device) · af briewemes (knifelike device) · ru нож для пи́сем (knifelike device) · pl nóż do otwierania kopert (knifelike device) · sv brevkniv (knifelike device) · mk ноже за писма (knifelike device) · hu levélbontó kés (knifelike device) · it tagliacarte (knifelike device) · ja ペーパーナイフ (knifelike device) · fi paperiveitsi (knifelike device) · ru разрезно́й но́жик (knifelike device) · fr coupe-papier (knifelike device) · pl nóż do otwierania listów (knifelike device) · ru нож для вскры́тия пи́сем (knifelike device) · io paperokultelo (knifelike device) · es abrecartas (knifelike device) · nl briefopener (knifelike device) · zh 開信刀 /开信刀 (knifelike device)