strigil

[ strij-uh l ]

/ ˈstrɪdʒ əl /

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 of strigil

1575–85; < Latin strigilis, akin to stringere to touch lightly; see streak, strike

strig·il·ate

[strij-uh-lit, -leyt] /ˈstrɪdʒ ə lɪt, -ˌleɪt/, adjective

Beside him, a diminutive figure of a nude boy holding a strigil.

A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum, Volume I (of 2) |A. H. Smith
The guttus was a small vessel with a narrow neck adapted for dropping oil on the strigil to lubricate its working edge.

Outlines of Greek and Roman Medicine |James Sands Elliott
Galen generally followed the teaching of Hippocrates on gymnastics, and wrote a whole book on the merits of using the strigil.

Outlines of Greek and Roman Medicine |James Sands Elliott
A boy emerging into manhood leaves his petasos and strigil and chlamys to Hermes, the god of games.

Studies of the Greek Poets (Vol II of 2) |John Addington Symonds

Tool used at the Palaistra, or wrestling school: in this case the strigil.

A Handbook to the Works of Browning (6th ed.) |Mrs. Sutherland Orr

strigil

/ (ˈstrɪdʒɪl) /

a curved blade used by the ancient Romans and Greeks to scrape the body after bathing

architect a decorative fluting, esp one in the shape of the letter S as used in Roman architecture

C16: from Latin strigilis, from stringere to graze