An earring that fastens by means of a screw mechanism that twists to tighten, or historically, a type of ear instrument.
From 'ear' plus 'screw' (from Old French 'escroue'). This refers to screw-back earrings designed for piercing retention or to historical surgical instruments.
Screw-back earrings were invented for babies and toddlers who hadn't had their ears pierced but needed earrings for cultural or social reasons—they created a surprising design challenge that combined jewelry with engineering.
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