fang
1 Americannoun
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one of the long, sharp, hollow or grooved teeth of a venomous snake by which poison is injected.
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a canine tooth.
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a tooth resembling a dog's.
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the root of a tooth.
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one of the chelicerae of a spider.
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a pointed, tapering part of a thing.
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Machinery. the tang of a tool.
verb (used with object)
noun
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Also called Pahouin, Pangwe. a member of an Indigenous people of Gabon, Cameroon, and adjacent areas.
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the Bantu language spoken by this people.
noun
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the long pointed hollow or grooved tooth of a venomous snake through which venom is injected
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any large pointed tooth, esp the canine or carnassial tooth of a carnivorous mammal
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the root of a tooth
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informal (usually plural) tooth
clean your fangs
verb
noun
noun
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a member of a Negroid people of W Africa, living chiefly in the rain forests of Gabon and Rio Muni: noted for their use of iron and copper money and for their sculpture
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the language of this people, belonging to the Bantu group of the Niger-Congo family
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of fang1
First recorded before 1050; Middle English “prey, purchase, spoils,” Old English: “booty”; cognate with German Fang “capture, booty,” Old Norse fang “a grasp, hold”; see also fang 2
Origin of fang2
First recorded before 900; Middle English fangen, fengen, earlier and Old English fon “to seize, catch”; cognate with Old Saxon fangan and fahan, German fangen and fahen, Old Icelandic fangan and fá
Explanation
A fang is a long, sharp tooth that is used to do harm. Vampires have them, venomous snakes have them... you could have them, too, if your Halloween costume includes a set of pointy teeth. The word fang came into English from the Old Norse word fang, meaning “capture, grasp.” It was originally used to describe something that was seized or captured, like loot taken after a battle. Later it meant "something that traps or snares." When you think of a sharp tooth’s ability to snare something, it’s not such a leap to the word’s current meaning: the long, pointy teeth of a predatory animal or a snake — or a vampire.
Vocabulary lists containing fang
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Peace is not just the absence of violence. It requires trust, justice and political sincerity," Mang Khongsai, a Kuki student leader, told the BBC.
From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026
The victims were identified as sisters Mang Yang, 25, and Eliza Yang, 18, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2024
Salai Mang Hre Lian, a program manager for the Chin Human Rights Organization, said Monday that more than 1,700 buildings including churches and schools in 128 villages in Chin state were damaged.
From Washington Times • May 22, 2023
"I never had to think about how much health care would cost me," said Mang, who is now a nurse.
From Salon • Dec. 20, 2022
Now Chil the Kite brings home the night That Mang the Bat sets free— The down on their arms would stand on end, golden in the light of the bedside lamp.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.