What is the Latin word for lancet?

The usual Latin words for “lancet” are sagitta, scalpellum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“lancet” in Latin

sagittaan arrow, shaft, bolt; the extreme thin part of a vine branch or shoot; the arrowhead (plant of the genus Sagittaria)scalpellumscalpel, lancet; grafting knife

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

lancet

sagitta (in this sense by Veg. only): scalpellus or scalpellum (both for cutting away proud flesh, etc., and for bleeding). To use the lancet, open a vein with a lancet, sagitta or scalpello venarn aperire; sagitta venam percutere. ☞ In Dict. of Antiquities, a doubt is expressed whether scalpellum was for blood-letting, or only for opening abscesses; sagitta is the best word.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for lancet?: The usual Latin words for “lancet” are sagitta, scalpellum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.