avocado hand

n. A serious hand injury caused by improperly using a knife to cut, slice, or remove the pit of an avocado.

Examples

2017

It seems that avocado hand is so commonplace, the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons wants to warn people about the safety risk, with one doctor suggesting a safety label to be placed on avocados.

—Dianne de Guzman, “'Avocado hand' is sending people to the ER because people don't know how to cut their fruit,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 11, 2017

2017

If your brunch didn’t include avocado in some guise, did you even really brunch?…Our love for the fruit shows no sign of abating, but it turns out it’s causing a new casualty: “avocado hand”.

—Rachel Hosie, “'Avocado hand': The serious injury caused by brunch fruit's popularity,” The Independent, May 10, 2017

2015

Jamie shows you how to de-stone an avocado safely in one minute flat.

—Jamie Oliver, “How To NOT get 'Avocado Hand'” (video), YouTube, January 14, 2015

2011 (earliest)

@silviamg Avocado // Whatever you do, don't use a knife to remove the stone. :) ERs have weekly injuries, called "avocado hand".

—Berit Ellingsen, “@silviamg Avocado // Whatever…,” Twitter, February 09, 2011

Notes