aiguille

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from French aiguille (“needle”). === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈeɪ.ɡwiːl/, /eɪˈɡwiːl/, /ˈeɪ.ɡwiː/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈeɪ.ɡwil/, /eɪˈɡwil/, /eɪˈɡwi/ === Noun === aiguille (plural aiguilles) A needle-shaped peak. [from 19th c.] An instrument for boring holes, used in blasting. ==== Related terms ==== aglet === References === == French == === Alternative forms === aguille (obsolete) === Etymology === Inherited from Old French aguille, from Late Latin acūcula, diminutive of Latin acus (“needle”). Perhaps influenced phonetically by aiguiser. Compare Occitan agulha. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɛ.ɡɥij/ ~ /e.ɡɥij/ Homophones: aiguillent, aiguilles, Éguilles === Noun === aiguille f (plural aiguilles) (botany, costumery, medicine) needle aiguille à tricoter ― knitting needle de fil en aiguille ― one thing leading to another chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin ― to look for a needle in a haystack talon aiguille ― stiletto heel needle (of a compass) hand (of a watch) aiguille des secondes ― second hand aiguille des minutes ― minute hand aiguille des heures ― hour hand dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre ― clockwise spire (of a church) (railway) point, switch Coordinate term: aiguillage ==== Derived terms ==== aiguiller aiguillette ==== Related terms ==== ==== See also ==== épingle f === Verb === aiguille inflection of aiguiller: first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive second-person singular imperative === Further reading === “aiguille”, in Dictionnaire français en ligne Larousse Littré, Émile (1873–1878), “aiguille”, in Dictionnaire de la langue française, Paris: L. Hachette “aiguille” in Dictionnaire Le Robert. “aiguille”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012