nail bed

noun

: the vascular epidermis upon which most of the fingernail or toenail rests that has a longitudinally ridged surface often visible through the nail

Examples of nail bed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rose hip oil, coconut oil, and green tea step in to nourish and hydrate the nail beds, resulting in stronger, healthier nails beneath all the polish. —Annie Blackman, Glamour, 21 Oct. 2025

The tips on her middle and ring fingers were painted in translucent shades, leaving her nail beds visible. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2025

Unlike the traditional thin white line that traces where your nail naturally extends above the nail bed, the deep French features a thicker, curved white band that reaches much further down the nail. —Mica Ricketts, Refinery29, 18 Aug. 2025

Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray, or blue How common is the Stratus COVID strain? —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nail bed

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead

Medical Definition

nail bed

noun

: the vascular epidermis upon which most of the fingernail or toenail rests that has a longitudinally ridged surface often visible through the nail

also : matrix sense 1b