fingernail

noun

fin·​ger·​nail ˈfiŋ-gər-ˌnāl 

ˌfiŋ-gər-ˈnāl

: the nail of a finger

Examples of fingernail in a Sentence

I trimmed and filed my fingernails.

He had dirt under his fingernails.

Recent Examples on the Web

One involved dyeing fingernails with garden balsam, a natural pigment traditionally associated with beauty and blessings. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Milk Stage of Kernels Check the kernels on an ear by poking it with your fingernail. — Danielle Ernest, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2026

Some of the most dangerous warning signs show up in places most people never think to check, from the soles of the feet to a dark streak under a fingernail. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026

In one photo from the book, two paltry berries rest on a man’s open palm, fresh soil under his fingernails. — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fingernail

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale
• yellowtail

Kids Definition

fingernail

noun

fin·​ger·​nail ˈfiŋ-gər-ˌnāl 

ˌfiŋ-gər-ˈnā(ə)l

: the nail of a finger

Medical Definition

fingernail

noun

fin·​ger·​nail ˈfiŋ-gər-ˌnāl, ˌfiŋ-gər-ˈnā(ə)l 

: the nail of a finger