frenum

American  

[free-nuhm] / ˈfri nəm /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

plural

frena

1. a fold of membrane that checks or restrains the motion of a part, such as the fold on the underside of the tongue.

---

frenum British  

/ ˈfriːnəm /

noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of fraenum

---

Etymology

Origin of frenum

First recorded in 1655–65; New Latin, from Latin fraenum, frēnum “bridle, restraint,” of disputed origin

Compare meaning

How does frenum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• frenum vs. frenulum

Example Sentences

If my mother was not lying she should have cut more, scraped away the rest of the frenum skin, because I have a terrible time talking.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

I used to curl up my tongue in front of the mirror and tauten my frenum into a white line, itself as thin as a razor blade.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

It usually lies on one side of the frenum, and over it the mucous membrane moves freely.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

Alar frenum: a small ligament crossing the supra-alar groove toward the root of the wing: Hymenoptera.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.

In Gila, the snout does not project beyond the mouth, which is oblique, lacks a frenum, and is larger than in Rhinichthys.

From Five Natural Hybrid Combinations in Minnows (Cyprinidae) by Cross, Frank B.