tongue

English

/tʌŋ/, /tʊŋ/, /tɒŋɡ/

noun
Definitions
  • The flexible muscular organ in the mouth that is used to move food around, for tasting and that is moved into various positions to modify the flow of air from the lungs in order to produce different sounds in speech.
  • (countable) This organ, as taken from animals used for food (especially cows).−
  • (metonym) A language.
  • (obsolete) Speakers of a language, collectively.
  • (obsolete) Voice the distinctive sound of a person's speech; accent distinctive manner of pronouncing a language.
  • Manner of speaking, often habitually.
  • (metonym) A person speaking in a specified manner (most often plural).
  • The power of articulate utterance; speech generally.
  • (obsolete) Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
  • (obsolete) Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
  • (obsolete) Honourable discourse; eulogy.
  • (religion) Glossolalia.
  • In a shoe, the flap of material that goes between the laces and the foot (so called because it resembles a tongue in the mouth).
  • Any large or long physical protrusion on an automotive or machine part or any other part that fits into a long groove on another part.
  • A projection, or slender appendage or fixture.
  • A long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or lake.
  • The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
  • The clapper of a bell.
  • (figuratively) An individual point of flame from a fire.
  • A small sole (type of fish).
  • (nautical) A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also, the upper main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
  • (music) A reed.
  • (geology) A division of formation; A layer or member of a formation that pinches out in one direction.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English tonge inherited from Old English tunge inherited from *tungā inherited from Proto-Germanic *tungǭ (tongue, language, speech) inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s (tongue, language, speech).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s

Gloss

tongue, language, speech

Concept
Semantic Field

The body

Ontological Category

Person/Thing

Kanji

Emoji
👅 😋 😛 😜 😝 🤑

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms