An applicator is a small implement or device used to apply liquids, pastes, or gels in a controlled manner, often with a narrow tip or nozzle. It enables precise deposition and reduces waste or mess. In medical, cosmetic, and industrial contexts, an applicator ensures targeted delivery and hygienic transfer of substances.
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"The pharmacist handed me a sterile applicator for applying the eye drop."
"She attached the wand-style applicator to the bottle and squeezed gently."
"Cosmetic applicators help apply foundation with smooth, even coverage."
"Medical staff used a disposable applicator to apply antiseptic at the wound site."
The word applicator comes from Latin applicare, meaning to attach or join to. Applicare itself combines ad- (toward) with plicare (to fold or bend). In English, the noun form dates to the 19th century, originally referring to devices that apply substances to surfaces. The sense broadened in the 20th century to include medical and cosmetic tools designed to apply chemicals or medicines. The term has been reinforced by compound formations such as glue applicator, lipstick applicator, and irrigation applicator, reflecting its practical function: a tool dedicated to the controlled, directed delivery of a material from a container to a surface. First known use in print appears in technical manuals from mid-1800s, with widespread adoption in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries by the early 1900s. The root plicare appears in many English words (complicate, replicate, pliable), highlighting the shared concept of attachment and transfer. Over time, “applicator” has become a standard term across multiple fields, describing devices that extend precise control over where a substance is placed, by whom, and with what amount. The evolution mirrors material science advances, with disposable, hygienic, and single-use variants becoming commonplace in modern healthcare and consumer products.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "applicator" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "applicator" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "applicator"
-tor sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say AP-pli-cay-tor with the primary stress on the first syllable. In US English, /ˈæp.lɪˌkeɪ.tər/ shows a strong initial vowel and a clear /ˈkeɪ/ in the third syllable; the final /tər/ tends to be a light, quick sound. In phonetic terms: /ˈæp·lɪˌkeɪ.tɚ/ (US) or /ˈæp.lɪˌkeɪ.tə/ (UK). Keep the lips relaxed but rounded for /eɪ/ and avoid flapping the /t/ in careful speech. Audio reference: listen to standard pronunciations on Pronounce or Cambridge Dictionaries Online for the exact US/UK variants.
Common errors include misplacing stress (placing emphasis on the second or third syllable), pronouncing the middle vowel as a full /ə/ instead of a reduced /lɪ/ sequence, and pronouncing the final /-tor/ as a hard /tɔː/ instead of a lighter /tər/. To correct: stress the first syllable /ˈæplɪ/; keep /lɪ/ as a short, crisp syllable; and pronounce the final as a subdued /tər/ or /tə/ depending on accent. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the rhythm.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈæp.lɪˌkeɪ.tɚ/ with a rhotacized final syllable and a clear /ˈkeɪ/ digraph; the /t/ often flaps in rapid speech. UK English tends to keep a slightly longer vowel in the first and third syllables and may reduce the final to /tə/; non-rhotic speakers may omit linking /r/. Australian English follows US-influenced patterns but keeps a more clipped final /tə/ and a less pronounced /ɪ/ in the second syllable. IPA guides: US /ˈæplɪˌkeɪtər/, UK /ˈæplɪˌkeɪtə/., AU /ˈæplɪˌkeɪtə/.
Three challenges: the sequence /p.lɪ/ requires precise adjacency of bilabial and alveolar stops with a light, quick transition; the /keɪ/ digraph creates a tricky diphthong that slides from /k/ to /eɪ/ smoothly; and the final /tər/ can be reduced quickly in connected speech, risking loss of the /t/ or the rhotic vowel. Practice by isolating each cluster, then chaining them with slower tempo before normal speed, and use a mirror to ensure lip closure and tongue position are accurate.
Yes. The word combines a three-consonant onset with a notable diphthong /keɪ/ in the third syllable and a liquid/retroflex-ish /l/ followed by a-tor. The stress pattern AP-pli-ca-tor is typical of many English agent nouns, but the middle syllable’s /ɪ/ is quick, making the rhythm subtly off-beat if not cued properly. Awareness of the /keɪ/ diphthong and the light /tər/ ending helps anchor natural pronunciation across accents.
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