Earscoop

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small spoon-shaped instrument used to gently scrape wax out of the ear canal
2. A tiny scoop-like implement designed for clearing earwax from inside the ear
3. A slender, cup-shaped tool that people use to lift wax from the ear passage

Etymology: Earscoop is a transparent compound: "ear" plus "scoop." The first part is Old English "ēare," which has been part of English since the earliest records. The second part, "scoop," came into English from Dutch or Low German, where a related word named a ladle or bailing vessel, so the original idea was a container for lifting liquid. The name describes the tool's shape. A small curved or spoon-shaped end is used to reach into the ear canal and lift out wax, and the scooping action gave the object its name. Nothing about the compound is a coinage with a known inventor or a recorded first use, so its exact date of formation is unknown. What is clear is that the tool was named for what it does, using two ordinary words that were already in English.

Synonyms: earpick, ear curette