frenum

[free-nuhm]

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

/ ˈfriːnəm /

noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of fraenum

Word History and Origins

Origin of frenum¹

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

Example Sentences

When I was 9, a small-town dentist decided that I had a space between my teeth because the frenum — the soft tissue connecting the lips and gums — had grown in the way, so he cut it out.

Read more on New York Times

"I had to remove one where the person swished them around in their mouth and they ended up on each side of the lingual frenum—the fleshy piece of tissue underneath our tongue," Kaplan said.

Read more on Salon

I forgot to close my mouth and ripped my frenum but no real damage.

Read more on New York Times

She pushed my tongue up and sliced the frenum.

Read more on Literature

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.

Read more on Literature