fingernail

FIHNGG-nayl

Fingernail (noun) means the hard, flat covering at the tip of a finger. Example: “She painted her fingernails a bright red.”

noun

The hard, flat covering at the tip of a finger.

"She painted her fingernails a bright red."

How to use fingernail

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe hard covering on the end of a finger.

Common pairings

bite one's fingernails chipped fingernail

fingernails plural

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Can you complete this real example?

She painted her _____ a bright red.

A straightforward compound of finger and nail, going back to Old English forms with the same meaning.

Origin: Old English

rail tail pail mail nail sail fail hail jail vail bail wail

What does “fingernail” mean?

The word “fingernail” means the hard, flat covering at the tip of a finger. In plain terms, the hard covering on the end of a finger.

How do you pronounce “fingernail”?

“Fingernail” is pronounced FIHNGG-nayl (/ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/ in IPA).

How do you use “fingernail” in a sentence?

Here is “fingernail” used in a sentence: “She painted her fingernails a bright red.”

What part of speech is “fingernail”?

“Fingernail” is a noun.

Where does the word “fingernail” come from?

The word “fingernail” comes from Old English. A straightforward compound of finger and nail, going back to Old English forms with the same meaning.

Vocabulary lists that include fingernail: