talon
Americannoun
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talons
plural
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a claw, especially of a bird of prey.
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the shoulder on the bolt of a lock against which the key presses in sliding the bolt.
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Cards. the cards left over after the deal; stock.
noun
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a sharply hooked claw, esp of a bird of prey
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anything resembling a bird's claw
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the part of a lock that the key presses on when it is turned
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cards the pile of cards left after the deal
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architect another name for ogee
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stock exchange a printed slip attached to some bearer bonds to enable the holder to apply for a new sheet of coupons
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of talon
1350–1400; Middle English taloun < Anglo-French; Old French talon < Vulgar Latin *tālōn-, stem of *tālō, for Latin tālus heel
Explanation
A talon is a large, hooked claw. Although talons are usually associated with eagles, hawks and other birds of prey, you can also use the word to describe the flesh-tearing claws or fingernails of raptors, werewolves or even enraged preschoolers. Talons typically belong to predators — the word implies bloody attack. An owl uses talons to stab and kill its prey. A chicken, however, uses claws to pick at its feathers and scratch around in the dirt. You can also pull talons into the conversation to be funny or sarcastic: “Hey! Get your talons off that piece of cake. It’s mine.”
Vocabulary lists containing talon
Words of a Feather: Unflappable Avian Vocabulary
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Beowulf: A New Telling
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Bless Me, Ultima
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“One usually turns upside down, so they meet talon to talon,” Taylor said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2025
He is walking, one black-tipped talon outstretched, wings flat at his side.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2023
The birders’ euphemism for catching a talon is “getting footed,” and it’s both extremely painful and difficult to remove.
From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2022
Wait for an adult frog to regrow a lopped-off limb and you’ll see only a tapered spike, more like a talon than a leg.
From New York Times ● Jan. 26, 2022
She parted her hair in the center, using the curved talon of her forefinger as a comb.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
“Cell phone video confirmed that the adult was able to fend off the other eagles by turning over and using its talons, but was unable to fly far away,” the organization said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
At the same time, bald eagles were rumored to sometimes kidnap human babies and fly away with them in their talons.
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2026
Twelve months later, the match ball arrived in the talons of an eagle.
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2024
In owls, for example, touch centers that typically correspond to face touch are devoted solely to talons.
From Science Daily ● May 29, 2024
The shadow-birds turn their beady eyes on him and swarm in a tornado of wings and talons, pecking at his skin.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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.
