why are they called a pair of scissors?

Question

is one blade called a scissor? If so why don't we just call it something else.

Answer 1

Same reason we say "pair of trousers". Two similar or identical things make up the whole. The "s" endings are typical of things that come in pairs. We have no noun word "scissor" to use for one blade. It's a vagary of the English language.

A pair of scissors can be called simply "scissors". Same for a pair of shears, trousers or pants.

The American Heritage Dictionary tells us that "scissors" comes to us from a Middle English word influenced by the Latin word "scissor" (cutter). (Dictionary.com Unabridged v 1.1 says that the Middle Latin "scissor" meant "tailor".) You can check this out below. Various sources give slightly different etymologies for "scissors".

In English usage "scissor" is only a verb, either transitive or intransitive (with or without an object). On the other hand, "shear", "pant", and "trouser" can be nouns. "Shear" can refer to one blade of a pair of shears/scissors as well as the entire scissors. "Pant" can be used instead of "pants". "Trouser" can mean one leg of a pair of trousers, as well as the entire garment.

Answer 2

I think so, you can't cut something if you just use one blade if you have a pair then you can cut

Answer 3

c.1384, sisoures, from O.Fr. cisoires (pl.) "shears," from V.L. *cisoria (pl.) "cutting instrument," from *cisus (in compounds such as L. excisus, pp. of excidere "to cutout"), ult. from L. cædere "to cut." In Scotland, shears answers for all sizes; but in England generally that word is used only for those too large to be worked by one hand. Spelling with sc- is 16c., from influence of M.L. scissor "tailor," from L. "carver, cutter," from pp. stem of scindere "to split." Sense in wrestling is from 1904. The verb scissor "to cur with scissors" is recorded from 1612; in the wrestling sense it is attested from 1968.

Answer 4

Add that to my list...

why is it called a pair of pants?
why do we say get a hair cut?

anymore?