🇩🇪German Source WordCode: DE

Wattestäbchen

Pronunciation / Transliteration: va-te-staeb-chen

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Q-Tip/ˈkjuː.tɪp/
nounCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #1500 frequency
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🇩🇪 Example Sentence in German:

"Er benutzte ein Wattestäbchen, um sein Ohr zu reinigen."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A small stick with cotton at both ends, used for cleaning ears or applying makeup.

    "She used a Q-tip to clean the makeup smudge from her eyelid."
  2. 2

    A brand name that has become a generic term for cotton swabs.

    "Many people ask for Q-tips when they really mean cotton swabs."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'Q-tip' originated from the brand name of a cotton swab product introduced in the 1920s. The 'Q' stands for 'quality,' and 'tip' refers to the cotton tip at the end of the stick. Over time, the brand name became synonymous with the product itself, leading to its widespread use in everyday language.

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