scissors

The story of 'scissors' is one of mistaken identity preserved in spelling. The tool's name entered English from Old French, tracing back to the Latin root 'caedere', meaning 'to cut' or 'to strike down'. However, in the 16th century, scholars incorrectly linked the word to the unrelated Latin verb 'scindere' (to split), leading to the intrusive 's' at the beginning of its spelling. This etymological error fossilized, giving us the modern form 'scissors', which, despite its plural-looking '-s' ending, is treated as a singular noun referring to a single tool comprised of two joined blades.

The modern English word 'scissors' is a loanword from Old French 'cisoires', which derived from Late Latin 'cisoria', the plural of 'cisorium' (cutting instrument). This Late Latin term comes from the Latin verb 'caedere' (to cut). The initial 'sc-' spelling in English arose from a mistaken association with the Latin verb 'scindere' (to split, cleave).