talon

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“
The hand on her shoulder clutched like a talon, the muscles informed with an unnatural force.

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Definitions (14)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun The claw of a bird of prey.
  2. noun The similar claw of a predatory animal.
  3. noun Something similar to or suggestive of an animal's claw.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (6)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (50)

  • Volney touched his flank with a talon, and several hairs came loose. —  Vale of the Vole
  • She fed ice into the talon, and molten rock froze into solid stone. —  Witch Gate.htm
  • 'The talon was the mark of Oshikai Demon-bane, the oval the symbol of his wife, Shul-sen. —  David A
  • Each bore three fingers between two thumbs; each digit possessed one more joint than its Terran equivalent and a nail that might better be called a talon. —  "You can't leave now," Daniel Holm told his son
  • Next to him, Baird Ogilvy allowed himself a slight smile, which he quickly covered with the back of his hand Yet Murphy knew he had made his point when he saw the Vice President, just for an instant, nod in agreement Tues, Oct 16, 2314—1432 Z M t. Sugarloaf rose from the middle of the Frontier Valley of the eastern Berkshires as a talon-shaped rock, its steep granite bluffs looming above the Connecticut River. —  chronospace
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English taloun, from Old French talon, heel, from Vulgar Latin *tālō, tālōn-, from Latin tālus, ankle.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Formerly also, and still dial., talent; from Middle English talon, taloun, talound, from Old French (and F.) talon = Provencal talo = Spanish talon = Portuguese talão = Italian tallone, heel, from Middle Latin talo(n-), talon, claw of a bird, from Latin talus, ankle, heel: see talus.
 

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/ˈtælən/
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