noun

lancets

LAN-sits

Lancets (noun) means Small, very sharp single-use blades or needles used to prick the skin, most often on a fingertip, to draw a drop of blood for testing. Example: “Diabetics get through boxes of lancets testing their blood sugar.”

noun

Small, very sharp single-use blades or needles used to prick the skin, most often on a fingertip, to draw a drop of blood for testing.

"Diabetics get through boxes of lancets testing their blood sugar."

"Change the lancet for every test to keep it sterile and less painful."

Small pointed surgical knives with two cutting edges, used for making incisions such as draining an abscess.

"The museum case held a set of Victorian lancets used for bloodletting."

In architecture, tall narrow windows or arches ending in a sharp point, characteristic of early Gothic buildings.

"Three lancets light the east end of the chapel."

How to use lancets

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe tiny sharp points used to prick a finger for a blood test.

When to use it

Neutral and medical; note The Lancet, the journal, is a separate proper noun.

Memory tip

The device that holds and fires a lancet is a lancing device or lancet pen, not itself a lancet.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

lancets vs needles lancet vs scalpel lancets vs The Lancet

Common pairings

lancets and test strips safety lancets 33-gauge lancets dispose of used lancets

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “lancets” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Diabetics get through boxes of _____ testing their blood sugar.

Etymology

Plural of lancet, from Old French lancette, a diminutive of lance 'spear'.

Origin: French

Synonyms

View more →

blood-sampling needles finger-prick needles scalpels bistouries

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a lancet and a needle?

A lancet has a short, sharply pointed blade designed to make a shallow prick and release a drop of blood at the surface. A hypodermic needle is a hollow tube for injecting or drawing fluid from deeper tissue or a vein.

Can you reuse a lancet?

You should not. Lancets are single-use: the tip blunts after one prick, which makes the next test more painful, and reuse raises the risk of infection. They belong in a sharps bin, not household waste.

What gauge of lancet should I use?

Gauge measures thickness, and a higher number means a thinner lancet, so 33-gauge is finer and more comfortable than 28-gauge. Thinner lancets draw a smaller drop, so match the gauge to how much blood your meter needs.

What is the meaning of lancets?

"lancets" (noun) means small, very sharp single-use blades or needles used to prick the skin, most often on a fingertip, to draw a drop of blood for testing.