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 push to clear the two men of wrongdoing came after a reinvestigation determined that DNA recovered from Reid’s fingernails didn’t belong to Collins or Boles. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 10 July 2025

Dill stalks can sometimes be too thick or tough for the fingernail and thumb method, so herb snips or scissors are a good choice. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2025

Only three pieces of evidence of hundreds were ever tested − fingernail scrapings from one victim and bloodstains on the clothing of two other victims. —Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

Then, take the wooden stick and peel the sticker from the cuticle toward the tips of your fingernails. —Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 30 June 2025

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