Sharp, curved, pointed structures at the end of digits in many animals, made of keratin. Claws are used for gripping, climbing, digging, defense, and capturing prey.
From Old English 'clawu' related to German 'klaue,' from Indo-European root meaning 'to scratch.' The word has maintained its basic meaning across Germanic languages for over 1,000 years.
Claws are incredibly versatile tools that have evolved independently multiple times, with cats having retractable claws that stay sharp like switchblades, while birds of prey have talons with gripping power exceeding 400 pounds per square inch! Some animals like sloths have claws so large they can barely walk on flat ground but can hang effortlessly from branches.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.