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.

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frenum British  

/ ˈfriːnəm /

noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of fraenum

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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

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

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

The snout of the hybrid projects less than in R. cataractae and is bridged to the upper lip by a frenum 1.7 mm. wide.

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

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.

This inferior incision or section, alongside of the frenum was first advised by Celsus.

From History of Circumcision from the Earliest Times to the Present Moral and Physical Reasons for its Performance by Remondino, Peter Charles