nail file
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of nail file
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75
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How does nail-file compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Using these tools and a nail file that Starr had slipped in her pocket when she used the restroom, they cut the zip ties and came up with a plan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
"And you can sit there with a nail file and try to pry the chiton off; you will lose."
From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2024
It’s helpful, however, to keep the nail clean, trim it frequently and use a nail file to thin the nail if it’s thickened.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 18, 2022
“It’s because when she walks, her knees feel like someone is running a big nail file right through the middle of them again and again.”
From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2021
“So why, after all I put you through, do you still love me?” she finally said, and slipped the nail file into her purse.
From "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" by Jack Gantos
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.
