Syringe

Pronunciation

• IPA: /səˈrɪndÊ’/
• Hyphenation: sy + ringe
• Rhymes: -ɪndÊ’

Origin

From French seringue, from Medieval Latin syringa, from Ancient Greek σῦριγξ (sŷrinx, "pipe, syrinx"). Compare syrinx.

Full definition of syringe

Noun

1. A device used for injecting or drawing fluids through a membrane.
2. A device consisting of a hypodermic needle, a chamber for containing liquids, and a piston for applying pressure (to inject) or reducing pressure (to draw); a hypodermic syringe.

Usage notes

Syringe mostly refers specifically to medical devices for injecting drugs into a human body or drawing blood from one (or other human fluids), but the broader definition sees occasional use, particularly in specialized fields.

Verb

1. To clean or inject fluid by means of a syringe.Have your ears syringed, they're so dirty!