/ˈfôrsəps/ /-ˌseps/
Noun, pl. forceps or forcipes or forcepses
(Medicine)
1. A handheld, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. Forceps are used when fingers are too large to grasp small objects or when many objects need to be held at one time while the hands are used to perform a task. The term ‘forceps’ is used almost exclusively within the medical field. Outside medicine, people usually refer to forceps as tweezers, tongs, pliers, clips or clamps. (wikipedia.org)
2. A pair of pinchers, or tongs; an instrument for grasping, holding firmly, or exerting traction upon, bodies which it would be inconvenient or impracticable to seize with the fingers, especially one for delicate operations, as those of watchmakers, surgeons, accoucheurs, dentists, etc. A pliers-like medical instrument used to grasp tissue. (biology-online.org)
3. an extractor consisting of a pair of pincers used in medical treatment (especially for the delivery of babies). (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)
(Zoology)
1. The caudal forceps-shaped appendage of earwigs and some other insects. (biology-online.org)
Note: ‘Forceps‘ can be used as both the singular and plural form of the word. (Example: “I need a forceps.”) Also, it is not referred to as a “pair” as one refers to a “pair of scissors”. (wikipedia.org)
Word origin: from Latin forceps “pair of tongs, pincers,” compound of formus “hot” + root of capere “to hold, take”. Originally a smith’s implement. The classical plural is forcipes.