fang

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈfaŋ 

1

a

: a long sharp tooth: such as

(1)

: one by which an animal's prey is seized and held or torn

(2)

: one of the long hollow or grooved and often erectile teeth of a venomous snake

b

: one of the chelicerae of a spider at the tip of which a poison gland opens

2

: the root of a tooth or one of the processes or prongs into which a root divides

3

: a projecting tooth or prong

fanged

ˈfaŋd 

adjective

Fang

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈfaŋ  ˈfäŋ 

variants or less commonly Fan

ˈfan 

ˈfän

plural Fang or Fangs also Fan or Fans

1

: a member of a Bantu-speaking people of northern Gabon, mainland Equatorial Guinea, and southern Cameroon

2

: the language of the Fang people

Examples of fang in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the fangs of a rattlesnake

a tiger baring its fangs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In addition to Depp, the film stars Bill Skarsgård, trading in Pennywise’s clown makeup for Count Orlock’s razor-sharp fangs (he’s glimpsed from the back, hunching over in a bat-like crouch), as well as Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin. —Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024

Beyond those, snowy fangs and conifer forests plunge into a shimmering channel of the Pacific Ocean. —John Briley, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

Staring back from a glass enclosure is a monstrous bronze beast: a scaly humanoid with terrible fangs and spindly crab’s legs for whiskers. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 21 Mar. 2024

Poor Sasha sports feeble fangs and doesn’t have the stomach to feed on the hot-blooded. —Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024

In some cases, males use hooks on their legs to keep the female’s fangs away from him, lest he get bitten or attacked. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024

Famous fossil is really just paint, rocks and a couple of bones, researchers say The spider is venomous, but its fangs are incapable of breaking human skin. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024

Rodriguez is the one who decided Tom would have fangs and birthday hats as horns. —Laura Trujillo, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024

Her nails, created by her go-to nail artist Coca Michelle, are reminiscent of a serpent's fangs with dramatic, razor-sharp points. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 13 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, that which is taken, from Old English; akin to Old High German fang seizure, Old English fōn to seize — more at pact

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fang

noun

ˈfaŋ 

1

a

: one of the long sharp teeth which are used by an animal to seize, hold, and tear apart its prey

b

: one of the long hollow or grooved teeth of a poisonous snake

2

: a root of a tooth

fanged

ˈfaŋd 

adjective

Medical Definition

fang

noun

ˈfaŋ 

1

a

: a long sharp tooth: as

(1)

: one by which an animal's prey is seized and held or torn

(2)

: one of the long hollow or grooved and often erectile teeth of a venomous snake

b

: one of a spider's chelicerae at the tip of which a poison gland opens

2

: the root of a tooth or one of the processes or prongs into which a root divides

fanged

ˈfaŋd 

adjective