Find your perfect word!

Definition hangnail

Etymology

Corruption of agnail (literally �painful (anguished) nail�), by folk-etymological reanalysis as hang +‎ nail; from Middle English agnail, from Old English angn�?l, from ang- (�tight/painful�) +‎ n�?l (�nail�). The first part is from Proto-Germanic *anguz, from Proto-Indo-European *h?�n??us (�narrow, tight�), while the second is from Proto-Germanic *naglaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h?neg?-. The first component, ang- is also the origin of anguish, anger, and angst, while n�?l is the origin of nail.

Original sense of �loose strip of tissue�; the sense of �pointed corner of nail� is modern, and is connected with the reanalysis, due to stockings catching or �hanging� on the nail.

Noun

hangnail (plural hangnails)

1. A loose, narrow strip of nail tissue protruding from the side edge and anchored near the base of a fingernail or toenail.
2. A pointed upper corner of the toenail (often created by improperly trimming by rounding the corner) that, as the nail grows, presses into the flesh or protrudes so that it may catch (�hang�) on stockings or shoes.

Results 101 Words with the letters HANGNAIL

You can also try words with the phrase HANGNAIL, words starting with the letters HANGNAIL, or words ending in the letters HANGNAIL.

Favorites Searches

Words… ending with q, starting with q, starting with qa, starting with qo, with two letters, starting with x, starting with j, ending with j,

Some random searches: Words with the letters QZY, Words with the letters QCYK, Words with the letters GSRXY, Words with the letters EU,