# toe

> English word · Noun · IPA /təʊ/ · frequency rank #6,424

## Definitions
1. Each of the five digits on the end of the human foot.
2. The equivalent part in an animal.
3. That part of a shoe or sock covering the toe.
4. Something resembling a toe, especially at the bottom or extreme end of something.
5. An advanced form of ballet primarily performed by women, wearing pointe shoes.
6. An alignment of the wheels of a road vehicle, either positive (toe in), meaning the wheels are closer together at the front than at the back, or negative (toe out), the other way round.
7. The journal, or pivot, at the lower end of a revolving shaft or spindle, which rests in a step.
8. A lateral projection at one end, or between the ends, of a piece, such as a rod or bolt, by means of which it is moved.
9. A projection from the periphery of a revolving piece, acting as a cam to lift another piece.
10. The long side of an angled cut.
11. The upper end of the bit (cutting edge) of an axehead; as opposed to the heel (lower end).
12. A cameltoe.
13. Speed, energy, vigor.
14. a person

## Etymology
From Middle English to, from Old English tā, (Mercian) tāhe, from Proto-West Germanic *taihā, from Proto-Germanic *taihwǭ, from *tīhwaną (“to show, announce”), from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to show”).
See also Dutch teen, German Zehe, Danish tå, Swedish tå; also Old English teōn (“to accuse”), German zeihen (“to accuse, blame”); also Hittite [script needed] (tekkuššāi), Latin dīcere (“to say”), digitus (“finger”), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deíknumi, “to point out, show”), Sanskrit दिदेष्टि (dídeṣṭi), दिशति (diśáti).

## Easily confused with
- **TV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tv)
- **TX** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tx)
- **Tu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tu)
- **Ty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-ty)
- **TS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-ts)
- **TT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tt)
- **tp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tp)
- **two** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-two)
- **too** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-too)
- **top** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-top)
- **try** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-try)
- **tom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tom)
- **toy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-toy)
- **ton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-ton)
- **tub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tub)
- **tow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tow)
- **tri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tri)
- **tor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tor)
- **tug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tug)
- **TSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toe-vs-tsa)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/toe