# toenail

/ˈtoʊˌneɪɫ/ (US) · /tˈəʊneɪl/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/toenail
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

the hard, flat cover at the end of each toe that protects the soft skin under it.

For teachers: the hard keratinous plate covering the tip of each toe, protecting the underlying tissue.

## Examples

- I cut my toenails every two weeks.
- She hurt her big toenail while hiking and had to bandage her foot for a week.
- After months of neglect during his recovery, his toenails had thickened and yellowed, a small but telling sign of how long he had been confined indoors.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.