toenail
Beginner (A1)
IPA: /ˈtoʊneɪl/
KK: /ˈtoʊˌneɪl/
noun
Definition
A hard, protective covering on the top of a toe, usually made of keratin.
Example
She painted her toenails bright red for the summer.
Conversation
I stubbed my toe yesterday and now my toenail hurts.
Ouch, that sounds painful! Did you hurt it badly?
Yeah, it's a bit bruised, but the toenail seems fine for now.
That's good to hear! Just make sure to take care of it.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
nail
Antonyms
transitive verb
Definition
A small hard covering on the top of a toe that protects the toe and is made of a protein called keratin.
Example
She painted her toenails bright red for the summer.
Tense Forms
Past: toenailed
Past Participle: toenailed
Conversation
Did you see how he toenailed that beam in the backyard?
Yeah, it looks really sturdy now!
I should probably toenail some of the loose boards on my deck too.
Root Explanation
**Toenail** → The word is formed from "toe" (from Old English *tā*, meaning the digit of the foot) and "nail" (from Old English *nægel*, meaning a hard covering). A toenail is the hard covering on the digit of the foot.
Memory Tip
Think of the 'toe' as the part of the foot and 'nail' as the hard covering — a toenail is simply the hard covering on your toe.
Visually Confused Words
trenail
tonal
tenai
treenail
toshnail
tenaille