hangnail
1 synonym for hangnail, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A small, loose strip of skin or nail tissue that sticks out from the side of a fingernail or toenail.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
agnail
How to use hangnail
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
pick at a hangnail
bite a hangnail
painful hangnail
trim a hangnail
Hangnail is everyday, informal vocabulary rather than a technical medical term.
Etymology
Hangnail began as agnail, a Middle English word descended from Old English angnæġl, literally meaning a painful nail, built from a root meaning tight or painful joined to the word for nail. Over time speakers reinterpreted the word as if it were made from hang and nail, giving it its current spelling.
Full origin of hangnail →Frequently asked questions
What is a hangnail?
A hangnail is a small strip of skin that has come loose at the edge of a fingernail or toenail.
What causes hangnails?
Hangnails often form when the skin around a nail becomes dry or is torn, causing a small piece to lift away.
Is hangnail related to the word nail?
The spelling looks like it combines hang and nail, but the word actually developed from an older term, agnail, that was later reshaped to match hang and nail.
