مِقَصّ
miqaṣṣmasculine
The English phrase "scissors" is مِقَصّ (miqaṣṣ) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists مِقْرَاض (miqrāḍ).
Meaning: tool used for cutting (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مِقَصّ | miqaṣṣ | masculine |
| مِقْرَاض | miqrāḍ | masculine |
The term refers to a tool used for cutting.
Which one should you use?
While both مِقَصّ and مِقْرَاض mean scissors, مِقَصّ is the more standard term used in Modern Standard Arabic, whereas مِقْرَاض is also very common and frequently used in many dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike the English word "scissors" which is always plural, the Arabic word مِقَصّ is grammatically singular and masculine. The plural form is مِقَصّات.
How do you pronounce it?
miqaṣṣ
Did you know?
- The word مِقَصّ comes from the root قص, which means 'to cut' but is also used in the word for 'story' or 'tale' قصة, as if a story is a series of cut scenes.
- In some Middle Eastern contexts, the term for 'scissors' is used idiomatically in certain folk sayings to describe someone who is a 'divider' or a person who creates discord between people.
- In the Arabic grammar system, مِقَصّ follows the pattern of a 'tool noun', where the prefix مِـ is specifically added to a verb to turn it into the name of the instrument used for that action.
Examples in context
- هل يمكنك أن تأتي بمقصّ؟Can you bring scissors?
- بالطبع، سأحضر المقصّ الآن.Sure, I will bring the scissors now.
- عندك مقص؟ أحتاجه هنا.Do you have scissors? I need them here.
- نعم، أنا معي مقص.Yes, I have scissors with me.
- أحتاج إلى مِقَصّ لقص الورق.Ahtaju ila miqass li-qass al-waraq.I need scissors to cut the paper.
Example conversation
Mariam is looking for a tool in the sewing room.
- مريم Maryamيا يوسف، هل رأيت المِقَصّ؟Ya Yusuf, hal ra'ayta al-miqass?Yusuf, have you seen the scissors?
- يوسف Youssefنعم، المِقَصّ على الطاولة.Na'am, al-miqass 'ala al-tawila.Yes, the scissors are on the table.
- مريم Maryamشكراً لك، هل هو مِقَصّ جديد؟Shukran lak, hal huwa miqass jadid?Thank you, is it a new scissors?
- يوسف Youssefلا، هو مِقَصّ قديم.La, huwa miqass qadim.No, it is an old scissors.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scissors” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
