tongue
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.
Noun 4 meanings
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.
Such an organ, as taken from animals and used for food (especially from cows).
“cold tongue with mustard”
Any similar organ, such as the lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk; the proboscis of a moth or butterfly; or the lingua of an insect.
A language.
“He was speaking in his native tongue.”
Verb 4 meanings
On a wind instrument, to articulate a note by starting the air with a tap of the tongue, as though by speaking a 'd' or 't' sound (alveolar plosive).
“Playing wind instruments involves tonguing on the reed or mouthpiece.”
To manipulate with the tongue.
To protrude in relatively long, narrow sections.
“a soil horizon that tongues into clay”
To join by means of a tongue and groove.
“to tongue boards together”
Etymology
From Middle English tongue, a late spelling of tong(e), tung(e), from Old English tunge, from Proto-West Germanic *tungā (“tongue”), from Proto-Germanic *tungǭ (“tongue”), from Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s (“tongue”). Doublet of langue and lingua.
Similar and opposite words
TONGUE at a glance
TONGUE has 6 letters and scores 7 points in Scrabble (T 1 + O 1 + N 1 + G 2 + U 1 + E 1) and 10 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #3,778 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with tongue
All rhymes- LEAGUE7
- ARGUE6
- DIALOGUE10
- COLLEAGUE12
- CATALOGUE12
- PLAGUE9
- ROGUE6
- VAGUE9
- FATIGUE11
- VOGUE9
- SYNAGOGUE14
- INTRIGUE9
Keep going
Related lists
Looking for a different word?
Type the letters you have and the Finder shows every word that fits.