eyedropper
C1Technical/Medical/Artistic
Definition
Meaning
A small glass tube with a rubber bulb at one end, used for measuring and administering small amounts of liquid, typically one drop at a time.
1. A tool used in medical, laboratory, or artistic contexts for precise liquid transfer. 2. In computing slang, a color picker tool in graphic design software that samples color values from an image.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to a physical tool. The computing sense ('color eyedropper') is a metaphorical extension based on the tool's function of precise extraction/sampling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally recognized in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral, functional tool. The medical connotation is stronger.
Frequency
Low-frequency word in general discourse, but standard within specific professional/technical contexts (pharmacy, chemistry, painting).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Use an eyedropper to [VERB] (e.g., administer, transfer, measure)Apply [LIQUID] with an eyedropperThe eyedropper contains [LIQUID]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to the word itself]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in pharmaceutical or laboratory supply contexts.
Academic
Common in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and medical writing for describing apparatus.
Everyday
Used when discussing administering liquid medicine (e.g., to infants or pets) or in craft/hobby contexts.
Technical
Standard term in laboratory manuals, medical instructions, and graphic design software tutorials.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The chemist used a clean eyedropper to add the reagent.
- For the infant's medicine, a marked eyedropper is provided with the bottle.
American English
- Select the eyedropper tool in the software to match the exact blue from the logo.
- The artist used an eyedropper to carefully place tiny dots of paint.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Here is an eyedropper for the baby's medicine.
- You can use an eyedropper to water small seedlings carefully.
- The protocol specified that the tincture should be administered via a calibrated eyedropper.
- Prior to the chromatographic analysis, the sample was homogenized and aliquoted using a sterile glass eyedropper.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an EYE that needs drops (medicine) -> the TOOL that gives those drops is an EYEDROPPER.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOOL IS AN EXTENSION OF THE BODY (the dropper acts like a precise finger for dispensing drops); SAMPLING IS EXTRACTING (digital color picker 'extracts' a color sample like a dropper extracts liquid).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not to be confused with 'пипетка' (pipette) which is a more general laboratory term. 'Eyedropper' often implies a simpler, bulb-operated device. The direct calque 'глазная капельница' is not idiomatic; 'пипетка' or 'дозатор-капельница' are better equivalents.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'eyedroper' (missing a 'p').
- Using 'dropper' alone where context is ambiguous.
- Confusing it with 'pipette' (a more precise, often graduated instrument).
Practice
Quiz
In graphic design software, what is the primary function of the 'eyedropper' tool?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While historically associated with administering eye medicine, it is a general tool for handling small liquid volumes in many fields (e.g., chemistry, crafts, electronics).
An eyedropper is typically a simple tube with a rubber bulb. A pipette is often more precise, may be graduated for measurement, and can refer to more complex mechanical or electronic devices in labs.
Rarely and informally (e.g., 'to eyedropper a solution'). The standard verb is 'to use an eyedropper' or 'to administer with an eyedropper'.
Yes, it's a metaphor. Just as a physical eyedropper picks up a small sample of liquid, the digital tool picks up ('samples') a small bit of color data from an image.