furry tongue

7.4

A harmless mouth condition where tongue bumps grow long and look dark

noun
/ˈfɜri tʌŋ/

Specialized

: lengua peluda

Doctors reassured him that a furry tongue is usually harmless and temporary.

Examples

After taking antibiotics for several weeks, she noticed a furry tongue developing.
Poor oral hygiene can also contribute to the appearance of a furry tongue.
She was diagnosed with a furry tongue after taking antibiotics.
Do you think a furry tongue is serious?
After taking antibiotics for several weeks, she noticed a furry tongue developing.
Doctors reassured him that a furry tongue is usually harmless and temporary.
Poor oral hygiene can also contribute to the appearance of a furry tongue.

Synonyms

black tongue

vsfurry tongue

Specialized

1 7.3

A temporary dark patch that appears on the tongue often after antibiotics

focuses on hairlike overgrowth rather than only dark color

hairy tongue

vsfurry tongue

Specialized

8.9

A harmless mouth problem where the tongue looks dark and furry because tiny bumps grow too long, often after antibiotics

means the same condition but is an alternative, less formal name

How Coated

furry tongue

Specialized

7.4

hairy tongue

Specialized

8.9

Surface Forms

furry tongue singular

furry tongues plural

Morphology

furry + tongue

The meaning is directly compositional: 'furry' describes something covered in hair and 'tongue' names the organ, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer a tongue that looks hairy or coated. This is a descriptive medical phrase rather than an idiom, and similar transparent noun+adjective formations occur across languages, supporting immediate comprehensibility.

Etymology

Furry tongue comes from a simple image: a tongue that looks covered by furry or hair-like material because the small bumps on the tongue can grow or trap a dark layer. So the name describes the harmless condition that makes the tongue look 'furry' after antibiotics or poor mouth care.