talon

American  

[tal-uhn] / ˈtæl ən /

noun

• talons
  plural

1. a claw, especially of a bird of prey.

2. the shoulder on the bolt of a lock against which the key presses in sliding the bolt.

3. Cards. the cards left over after the deal; stock.

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talon British  

/ ˈtælən /

noun

1. a sharply hooked claw, esp of a bird of prey

2. anything resembling a bird's claw

3. the part of a lock that the key presses on when it is turned

4. cards the pile of cards left after the deal

5. architect another name for ogee

6. stock exchange a printed slip attached to some bearer bonds to enable the holder to apply for a new sheet of coupons

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talon Scientific  

/ tăl′ən /

1. One of the sharp, curved claws on a limb of a bird or other animal such as a lizard, used for seizing and tearing prey. Most talons are situated at the ends of digits.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• taloned
  adjective
• untaloned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• talons
  plural

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.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

talon talons

He is walking, one black-tipped talon outstretched, wings flat at his side.

From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2023

“Usually, they try to bite or talon us when we get close,” she said.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 10, 2023

Nitzani’s black 2015 Toyota Camry is also riddled with dents, talon marks and beak scratches, while the $30,000 he invested to landscape his front lawn is ruined by brown spots from lounging peafowl.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 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

The beast squatted low, tilting the girl’s chin with one yellowed talon.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

"Osprey parents are surprisingly tender despite their large size and sharp talons," Maclauchlan said.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 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

In owls, for example, touch centers that typically correspond to face touch are devoted solely to talons.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2024

A sharp but necessary pivot from scales and talons brings me to Star Wars’ most adorable animals: Ewoks, the sweet, cherubic creatures that populate the forest moon of Endor in “Return of the Jedi.”

From Salon ● May 4, 2024

The parrot has rounded back and landed on me, digging his talons in to keep from being torn away by the wind.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman