noun

hangnail

HANG-nayl

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Hangnail (noun) means a small, loose strip of skin or nail tissue that sticks out from the side of a fingernail or toenail. Example: “She bit off a hangnail and it started to bleed.”

noun

A small, loose strip of skin or nail tissue that sticks out from the side of a fingernail or toenail.

"She bit off a hangnail and it started to bleed."

"Dry weather can make hangnails more common."

"He carefully trimmed the hangnail with a pair of clippers."

How to use hangnail

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA hangnail is that annoying bit of loose skin by your nail.

When to use it

Hangnail is everyday, informal vocabulary rather than a technical medical term.

Memory tip

Despite its spelling, a hangnail is about skin, not about the nail itself.

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

pick at a hangnail bite a hangnail painful hangnail trim a hangnail

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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 “hangnail” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She bit off a _____ and it started to bleed.

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.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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agnail

Rhymes for hangnail

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

See all rhymes for 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.

What is the meaning of hangnail?

"hangnail" (noun) means a small, loose strip of skin or nail tissue that sticks out from the side of a fingernail or toenail.