fingernail

[fing-ger-neyl]

noun

1. the nail at the end of a finger.

2. Printing.,  a parenthesis.

fingernail

/ ˈfɪŋɡəˌneɪl /

noun

1. a thin horny translucent plate covering part of the dorsal surface of the end joint of each finger

Word History and Origins

Origin of fingernail¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; finger, nail

Example Sentences

The skinny look to the scoreboard - a 27-23 victory - matched with frayed nerves and chewed fingernails.

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“The fingernails appeared pristine to me,” notes Watson.

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"Have I got dirt under my fingernails? Well, I'm trying to turn my brown thumbs green," she laughs.

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Hewlett had detected metal buried inside some gravel—digging it up, he found a chunk of gold about half the size of his pinkie fingernail.

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Except for one picked cuticle on a fingernail, which was ever so slightly rimmed with blood.

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Related Words

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