Tongue

/tʌŋ/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A fleshy muscular organ in the mouth used for tasting, swallowing, and articulating speech.
He burned his tongue on the hot soup.
A language or dialect, especially one spoken by a particular group or region.
She speaks three different tongues fluently.
The ability to speak; speech or eloquence.
His tongue was silver; he could persuade anyone.
A particular manner of speaking or expression.
Her tongue was sharp, often leading to arguments.
verb
To articulate or pronounce using the tongue.
He can tongue-twisting words with great ease.

Etymology

Old English 'tunge', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'tong' and German 'Zunge'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

mother tongue
The first language learned at home in childhood.
bite your tongue
To stop oneself from saying something.
tongue-in-cheek
Said or done ironically or sarcastically.
on the tip of my tongue
About to say or remember something.

Related Words

linguist
A person skilled in languages.
bilingual
Fluent in two languages.
polyglot
Knowing or using several languages.
glossary
A list of words with definitions.

Slang Meanings

To kiss.
They were tongue wrestling on the dance floor.
To speak in a specific jargon or dialect.
He was just tongue in the local slang after living there for years.