secateurs: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Technical (Gardening)
Quick answer
What does “secateurs” mean?
A hand-held, scissor-like tool with two short blades, used for pruning plants, especially stems and small branches.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hand-held, scissor-like tool with two short blades, used for pruning plants, especially stems and small branches.
More broadly, it can refer to any tool used for precision cutting of small, relatively soft materials, particularly in gardening and horticulture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word 'secateurs' is standard and commonly used in British English. In American English, the functionally identical tool is almost universally called 'pruning shears', 'hand pruners', or simply 'pruners'. The term 'secateurs' is understood but rarely used in the US.
Connotations
In the UK, 'secateurs' connotes a standard, essential gardening tool. In the US, using the term may sound British, formal, or technical.
Frequency
Very high frequency in UK gardening contexts; low frequency in general US English, where 'pruners' is dominant.
Grammar
How to Use “secateurs” in a Sentence
Use secateurs [to prune/in pruning] the roses.She pruned [object: the bush/the branch] with the secateurs.The secateurs [are/blade is] sharp.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “secateurs” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He carefully secateured the dead wood from the shrub.
American English
- (Not used as a verb; 'pruned' or 'trimmed' is used.)
adverb
British English
- (No common adverbial use.)
American English
- (No common adverbial use.)
adjective
British English
- (No common adjectival use.)
American English
- (No common adjectival use.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the context of gardening supply retail, horticulture trade, or landscaping services.
Academic
Used in horticultural or botanical science texts and papers.
Everyday
Common in UK everyday conversation about gardening; less common in US everyday speech.
Technical
The precise technical term in UK horticulture for a specific class of hand-held pruning tools, often specified as 'bypass' or 'anvil' type.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “secateurs”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “secateurs”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “secateurs”
- Using it as a singular noun ('a secateur'). It is always 'secateurs'.
- Incorrect spelling: 'sectateurs', 'seceturs'.
- In American contexts, using 'secateurs' may cause confusion; 'pruners' is safer.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is plural in form but treated as a singular tool. You say 'These secateurs are sharp,' but you refer to one tool as 'a pair of secateurs.'
Secateurs are small, hand-held tools for stems up to about 2cm thick. Loppers are larger, two-handed tools with long handles for thicker branches, providing more leverage.
It will be understood by gardeners and horticulturists, but in everyday conversation, 'pruners' or 'pruning shears' is more common and less likely to cause momentary confusion.
Keep them clean, dry, and sharp. Disinfect the blades between plants to prevent disease spread, and oil the pivot point regularly to ensure smooth operation.
A hand-held, scissor-like tool with two short blades, used for pruning plants, especially stems and small branches.
Secateurs is usually formal/technical (gardening) in register.
Secateurs: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛk.ə.təz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛk.ə.tɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms. Use literal meanings only.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SECure your plant's health by cutting AT EUR stems' (SEC-AT-EURS). The tool 'secures' a neat cut.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TOOL IS AN EXTENSION OF THE HAND (specifically for precise cutting).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common American English equivalent for 'secateurs'?