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

The second is about pygmy seahorses, which are the size of your fingernail and live in coral. — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026

All the fingernails-on-chalkboard screeching out of Washington. — ABC News, 2 July 2026

The confluence of those problems lead to a harried, chew-your-fingernails night for all the star players in this final season. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 2 July 2026

The state also sought to undercut the defense theory that the DNA could point to an unknown suspect, arguing that trace DNA under fingernails does not automatically suggest a struggle with an assailant. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 June 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