netsuke

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈnɛtsʊkɪ/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(net′skē, -skā; Japn. ne′tsŏŏ ke′)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ne•tsu•ke  (net′skē, -skā; Japn. ne′tsŏŏ ke′),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Fine Art(in Japanese art) a small figure of ivory, wood, metal, or ceramic, originally used as a buttonlike fixture on a man's sash, from which small personal belongings were hung.
  • Japanese, equivalent. to ne root + tsuke (earlier tuke(y) attach
  • 1880–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
netsuke / ˈnɛtsʊkɪ/
  1. (in Japan) a carved toggle, esp of wood or ivory, originally used to tether a medicine box, purse, etc, worn dangling from the waist
Etymology: 19th Century: from Japanese

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