nail-biter

or nail bit·er

[ neyl-bahy-ter ]
See synonyms for: nail-biternail-biting on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person who bites their nails, especially habitually.

  2. a situation marked by anxiety or tension.

Origin of nail-biter

1
1970–75

Other words from nail-biter

  • nail-biting, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for nailbiter

nailbiter

/ (ˈneɪlˌbaɪtə) /


noun
  1. a person who bites his or her nails

  2. a person who is anxious or tense

  1. something that causes anxiety or tension

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012