peeler

UK/ˈpiːlə/US/ˈpiːlɚ/

nounA2+Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #12,027 of 15,258leans spoken

Other forms: peelers

A peeler is the small tool that takes the skin off potatoes in thin strips. A vegetable peeler, use the peeler, a swivel peeler.

The swivel kind follows the curve of what you are peeling and takes far less flesh than a knife, which matters more than it sounds when there are nine kilos to do. In older British slang a peeler is a policeman, from Robert Peel.

Definitions of peeler

1nounpeelerThe small tool that takes the skin off potatoes.A2+
“Use a peeler to take the skin off the carrots.”
- Said"Have you seen the peeler? I'm not doing ten carrots by hand."
- WrittenThe peelers in the drawer were all blunt, so the potatoes came out lumpy and sad.
- UsedHold the peeler at a shallow angle and pull it towards you in long strokes.
- ContrastA peeler, not a knife. A knife takes off skin and half the vegetable; a peeler takes the skin alone. knife →
- Not thisA grater is not a peeler, though both scrape. A peeler removes; a grater shreds.
- Exchange"Peeler for the apples?""Peeler. Thinner peel, more apple."
Patterna potato / vegetable peeler · use a peeler · peel sth with a peeler · a peeler blade

peeler is a tool.

Remember it

PEELer → it PEELs the potato

It is peel with -er: pull it along the potato and the skin comes off in one long curl.

hooks ontopeel

Where it comes from

Peel plus -er. Peel comes from Latin pilare, to strip of hair, and is unrelated to the police sense.

From the surname of Sir Robert Peel, who established the Irish constabulary and London's police force; compare bobby, from the given name.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Definitions of peeler

1nounpeelerThe small tool that takes the skin off potatoes.A2+

“Use a peeler to take the skin off the carrots.”

Said"Have you seen the peeler? I'm not doing ten carrots by hand."
WrittenThe peelers in the drawer were all blunt, so the potatoes came out lumpy and sad.
UsedHold the peeler at a shallow angle and pull it towards you in long strokes.
ContrastA peeler, not a knife. A knife takes off skin and half the vegetable; a peeler takes the skin alone. knife →
Not thisA grater is not a peeler, though both scrape. A peeler removes; a grater shreds.
Exchange"Peeler for the apples?""Peeler. Thinner peel, more apple."

Patterna potato / vegetable peeler · use a peeler · peel sth with a peeler · a peeler blade

peeler is a tool.