Pincushions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of small, stuffed cushion designed for holding sewing pins securely while providing a convenient surface for needlework
2. A fabric-covered padded item used to store sewing pins and needles, often shaped like a pillow or novelty item
3. An object filled with soft material that serves as a holder for pins, typically used in sewing and crafting activities

Etymology: "Pincushions" is simply the plural of "pincushion," a compound of "pin" and "cushion." The plant names are a surprise: the ornamental pincushion (Leucospermum cordifolium) is a South African shrub whose flowers are dense knobs of bristling styles, and the spiny pincushion cactus (Mammillaria spinosissima) has spines packed so thickly that its rounded body looks like a tool-bristling pad. The cushion half of the compound goes back to Old French "coissin," and the pin half is the ordinary Old English word for a small pointed fastening, so the item was named for what it does: holding pins. The sewing object is the older and more basic sense, and the plant names were later borrowed from it because the flower heads or stems look like the padded object studded with pins.

Synonyms: pads, cushions, stuffed cushions, pin holders, sewing aids