fingernail

/ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/

//ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"fingernail" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fingernail” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,243. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,243
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The hard, flat translucent covering near the tip of a human finger, useful for scratching and fine manipulation.

Key facts for fingernail
PropertyValue
Headwordfingernail
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/
Letters10
Frequency rank#40,243
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fingernail” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). fingernail lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around fingernail (IPA /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #40,243 among 18,613 “F” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The hard, flat translucent covering near the tip of a human finger, useful for scratching and fine manipulation.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for fingernail, with forms such as "ffingernail", "fignernail", and "finegrnail". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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”), … The correct English form is fingernail, spelled F-I-N-G-E-R-N-A-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    The hard, flat translucent covering near the tip of a human finger, useful for scratching and fine manipulation.

Etymology

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”).

Synonyms

handnail

This word in other languages

uña(Español)ongle(Français)Fingernagel(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffingernail
  • fignernail
  • finegrnail
  • fingenrail
  • fingeranil
  • fingernaill
  • fingernali
  • fingernial
  • fingernnail
  • fingerrnail
  • finggernail
  • fingrenail
  • finngernail
  • fnigernail
  • ifngernail

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fingernail - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ffingernail1fignernail2finegrnail2fingenrail2fingeranil2fingernaill1fingernali2fingernial2
Edit distance from "fingernail"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fingernail"?
"fingernail" is spelled F-I-N-G-E-R-N-A-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/.
What does "fingernail" mean?
As a noun, "fingernail" means: The hard, flat translucent covering near the tip of a human finger, useful for scratching and fine manipulation.
What are common misspellings of "fingernail"?
Common misspellings include "ffingernail", "fignernail", "finegrnail", "fingenrail", "fingeranil". The correct spelling is "fingernail".
How do you pronounce "fingernail"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fingernail" is /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "fingernail"?
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 (“fing... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “fingernail”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-I-N-G-E-R-N-A-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list