noun
mandolin
MAN-duh-lihn
noun
1
A small stringed instrument with a rounded or flat back and paired strings, played with a pick.
"He strummed a lively tune on his mandolin at the bluegrass jam."
2
A kitchen tool with an adjustable blade used to slice vegetables very thinly and evenly.
"She used a mandolin to cut paper-thin slices of potato for the gratin."
How to Use Mandolin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a small stringed musical instrument or a slicing tool used in the kitchen.
Common mistake
Kitchen mandolins are notorious for slicing fingers as well as vegetables — always use the hand guard.
Word Forms
mandolined past tense, mandolins plural, mandolins singular
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He strummed a lively tune on his _____ at the bluegrass jam.
Etymology
From French mandoline, from Italian mandolino, a diminutive of mandola, an older stringed instrument.