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

The off-white dots on each nail bed above almost blend into the clear base. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 13 July 2026

Think of it as a deep clean for your nail beds, allowing the gel to be applied as close to the cuticle as possible for a polished, long-lasting finish. — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Choose a tip that matches the size of your nail bed. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026

Capillary refill refers to the return of blood to the nail bed, giving it a pinkish color. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026

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