How to pronounce hangnail
Say it like HANG-nayl. Hangnail has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HANG).
- HANG
- nayl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hangnail pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HANGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- naylKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of hangnail
American and British speakers say hangnail in essentially the same way: /ˈhæŋneɪl/ in the US and /ˈhæŋneɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: HANG-nayl.
What does hangnail mean?
- A loose, narrow strip of nail tissue protruding from the side edge and anchored near the base of a fingernail or toenail.
- 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.
Where does hangnail come from?
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.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- agnail
- backfriend
Questions about saying hangnail
How do you pronounce hangnail?
Say HANG-nayl. The American pronunciation is /ˈhæŋneɪl/. In British English it is /ˈhæŋneɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hangnail?
Hangnail has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HANG). Broken into parts: HANG · nayl.
Do Americans and Brits say hangnail the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhæŋneɪl/ and the British form is /ˈhæŋneɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.