Plural of hangnail; multiple instances of small torn or peeling skin around fingernails.
Simple plural of hangnail, used in medical, beauty, and everyday contexts. The plural form became standard as people needed to discuss multiple occurrences of this common minor ailment.
The fact that hangnails have such a persistent, recognizable name despite being minor tells us something about human experience—they may be small, but they're annoying enough that virtually everyone experiences them and they've earned their place in medical terminology.
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