Phrase guide

letter opener

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several devices for opening letters, either by breaking wax seals or (as is usually the case today) by cutting open their envelopes.

A device shaped like a fixed-blade knife, usually with a blunt edge; the blunt edge does not slice the envelope so much as precisely tear it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any of several devices for opening letters, either by breaking wax seals or (as is usually the case today) by cutting open their envelopes.

The same sort of device but with a sharpened edge, designed to appeal to customers who enjoy a sharpened one (regardless of whether or not it truly outperforms the nonsharp counterpart).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any of several devices for opening letters, either by breaking wax seals or (as is usually the case today) by cutting open their envelopes.

A device incorporating a small razor-style blade in the crotch of a U-shaped plastic handle; it slices the envelope while being, like a safety razor, unlikely to cut the user accidentally.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

dull knife used to cut open the envelopes in which letters are mailed or to slit uncut pages of books

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: paper knife, paperknife

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: knife

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: briewemes — knifelike device
  • Catalan: tallapapers — knifelike device
  • Catalan: obrecartes — knifelike device
  • Chinese: 開信刀 /开信刀 — knifelike device
  • Dutch: briefopener — knifelike device
  • Finnish: paperiveitsi — knifelike device
  • French: coupe-papier — knifelike device
  • German: Brieföffner — knifelike device
  • Greek: χαρτοκόπτης (chartokóptis) — knifelike device
  • Hungarian: papírvágó kés — knifelike device
  • Hungarian: levélbontó kés — knifelike device
  • Ido: paperokultelo — knifelike device
  • Irish: scian pháipéir — knifelike device
  • Italian: tagliacarte — knifelike device
  • Japanese: ペーパーナイフ — knifelike device
  • Macedonian: ноже за писма (nože za pisma) — knifelike device
  • Polish: nóż do otwierania listów — knifelike device
  • Polish: nóż do otwierania kopert — knifelike device
  • Romanian: tăietor de hârtie — knifelike device
  • Romanian: deschizător de scrisori — knifelike device
  • Russian: нож для вскры́тия конве́ртов (nož dlja vskrýtija konvértov) — knifelike device
  • Russian: нож для вскры́тия пи́сем (nož dlja vskrýtija písem) — knifelike device
  • Russian: нож для конве́ртов (nož dlja konvértov) — knifelike device
  • Russian: нож для пи́сем (nož dlja písem) — knifelike device
  • Russian: разрезно́й но́жик (razreznój nóžik) — knifelike device
  • Spanish: abrecartas — knifelike device
  • Swedish: brevöppnare — knifelike device
  • Swedish: brevkniv — knifelike device
  • Swedish: papperskniv — knifelike device
  • Turkish: zarf açacağı — knifelike device