— forcepslike , adj. — forcipial /fawr sip"ee euhl/ , adj.
/fawr"seuhps, -seps/ , n. , pl. forceps, forcipes /-seuh peez'/ .
1. an instrument, as pincers or tongs, for seizing and holding objects, as in surgical operations.
2. Anat. , Zool. a part or feature resembling a forceps, esp. a pair of appendages at the posterior of certain insects.
[ 1625-35; formiceps, equiv. to form ( us ) warm + -i- -I- + -ceps -taker, deriv. of capere to take (cf. PRINCE), i.e., that which takes hot things; cf., however, forpex, forfex tongs, shears, from which forceps may have been formed by folk etym. ]