fingernail
n.the hard, thin cover that grows on the top of your finger. It protects the tip of your finger and helps you pick up small things.
n.the hard, keratinous plate that covers the distal phalanx of each finger. It serves a protective function and aids in tactile manipulation.
“She broke her fingernail while opening the jar.”
“The doctor examined the color of the fingernail to check for signs of poor circulation.”
“While the fingernail is primarily a structural defense, its growth rate can serve as a clinical indicator of overall metabolic health and nutritional status.”
From Middle English finger neil(e); equivalent to finger + nail. Compare Middle English nayl of fynger (“fingernail”) and Old English handnæġl (“fingernail”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Fingernail (“fingernail”), West Frisian fingerneil (“fingernail”), Dutch vingernagel (“fingernail”), German Fingernagel (“fingernail”), Danish fingernegl (“fingernail”), Swedish fingernagel (“fingernail”), Norwegian fingernegl (“fingernail”), Icelandic fingurnögl (“fingernail”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.