strigil

[strij-uh l] /ˈstrɪdʒ əl/
noun
1.
an instrument with a curved blade, used especially by the ancient Greeks and Romans for scraping the skin at the bath and in the gymnasium.
Origin
1575-85; < Latin strigilis, akin to stringere to touch lightly; see streak, strike
Related forms
strigilate
[strij-uh-lit, -leyt] /ˈstrɪdʒ ə lɪt, -ˌleɪt/ (Show IPA), adjective
British Dictionary definitions for strigil

strigil

/ˈstrɪdʒɪl/
noun
1.
a curved blade used by the ancient Romans and Greeks to scrape the body after bathing
2.
(architect) a decorative fluting, esp one in the shape of the letter S as used in Roman architecture
Word Origin
C16: from Latin strigilis, from stringere to graze
Word Origin and History for strigil
n.

"ancient tool for scraping the skin after a bath," 1580s, from Latin strigilis "horse-comb," from stringere (1) "draw along a surface, graze, wound, strip off, rub," from PIE root *streig- (cf. Latin striga "stroke, strike, furrow," stria "furrow, channel;" Old Church Slavonic striga "shear;" Old English stracian "to stroke;" German streichen "to stroke, rub"). Etymologists dispute over whether this is connected to Latin stringere (2), root of strain (v.).