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talon

talon

24 6.2
A sharp curved claw on a bird that hunts other animals
  • noun
  • /ˈtælən/
translation icon : garra
  • The falcon's talons are designed for holding onto slippery fish.
  • beaks and talons
  • bird's talons
  • left talon

So this was actually a request from my nail tech who gave me these beautiful talons today.

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Examples

  • Blood welled out from where the gyrfalcon's talons had pierced through the cloth to my skin.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • I would be lifting a heavy arm; the talons would glint in the moonlight.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • So this was actually a request from my nail tech who gave me these beautiful talons today.

  • Do the chickens have large talons?

  • Watch out for her talons and her beak.

  • These talons were a heartbeat away from your throat.

  • I heard a tinkling of bells and the dry click, click, click of talons stepping across a perch.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • They saw an eagle flying with a serpent clutched in its talons.

  • Securing a vole in its talons, a hawk owl pauses before dismembering the prey.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Black eagle swoops down with its talons bared; a leopard carries a hyrax above.

    Academic text (2009)

Synonyms

claw
vstalon
108 1.0

A sharp curved nail at the end of a bird's or animal's toe for grabbing and tearing

is a specific sharp curved type found mainly on birds of prey

How Sharp

talon
24 6.2
claw
108 1.0
nail
283 1.0

Surface Forms

talon singular
talons plural

Etymology

Talon comes from an old Latin word talus meaning 'heel'. Imagine a heel that curves like a hook; that image helps you remember why talon now means a bird of prey's sharp, curved claw.