noun

cuticle

KYOO-tih-kul

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Cuticle (noun) means the strip of toughened skin at the base and sides of a fingernail or toenail. Example: “She pushed back her cuticles before painting her nails.”

noun

The strip of toughened skin at the base and sides of a fingernail or toenail.

"She pushed back her cuticles before painting her nails."

"Biting your cuticles can leave the skin sore and inflamed."

"The manicurist trimmed away the dead cuticle carefully."

technical The outermost layer of skin on a vertebrate's body.

"The dermatologist examined the texture of the cuticle under a lens."

"Sun exposure gradually changes the condition of the skin's cuticle."

How to use cuticle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe bit of skin around the edge of your nail, or, more technically, the outer layer of skin.

When to use it

The nail sense is everyday language, while the skin-layer sense is more technical and used in biology or dermatology.

Memory tip

In beauty and nail care, cuticle almost always means the skin around the nail, not skin in general.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

cutin cuticula

Common pairings

push back your cuticles cuticle oil dry cuticles trim the cuticle

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “cuticle” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She pushed back her _____ before painting her nails.

Etymology

Cuticle is a learned borrowing from the Latin cutīcula, meaning a small skin or cuticle, itself a diminutive form related to skin.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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epidermis

Related words

epidermis

Rhymes for cuticle

icicle article vehicle cubicle testicle particle clavicle Popsicle chronicle ventricle

See all rhymes for cuticle →

Frequently asked questions

Should you cut your cuticles?

Most nail care guidance favours gently pushing them back rather than cutting, since cutting can leave the nail bed open to infection.

Is the cuticle the same as the nail itself?

No, the cuticle is the strip of skin at the nail's base and sides, while the nail is the hard plate that grows from underneath it.

What does cuticle mean outside of nail care?

More broadly in biology, it refers to the outermost layer of skin, as in the cuticle of the skin generally.

What is the meaning of cuticle?

"cuticle" (noun) means the strip of toughened skin at the base and sides of a fingernail or toenail.

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