noun
nail
the hard covering at the end of a finger or toe
She trims her nails to keep them short and neat.
Etymology
Old English nægel already named a nail. The body-part sense preserves that inherited name for the hard protective growth at a finger or toe tip.
More examples
- Dirt collects under his nails while he works in the garden.
- I try not to bite my nails when I'm nervous.
- The nail on her big toe catches on her sock.
Forms
nail · nails
Similar words
- fingernail
- Specifically a nail on a finger, not a toe.
- toenail
- Specifically a nail on a toe, not a finger.