Meanings
Origin
Uncertain first element + claw. Compare dewlap. One suggestion, possibly a folk etymology, is that dewclaws brush dew away.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic زمعة
- زمعةa vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Czech paspárek, vlčí dráp
- paspáreka vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- vlčí drápa vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Danish ulveklo
- ulvekloa vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Dutch wolfsklauw, hubertusklauw
- wolfsklauwa vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- hubertusklauwa vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Finnish kannus, kannuskynsi
- kannusa vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- kannuskynsia vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
French ergot
- ergota vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
German Geäfter, Afterkralle
- Geäftera vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- Afterkrallea vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- Afterzehea vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Hungarian fattyúköröm, fattyúcsülök
- fattyúköröma vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- fattyúcsülöka vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- fűköröma vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Italian sperone
- speronea vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Japanese 狼爪
- 狼爪a vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Malay kuku embun
- kuku embuna vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Polish wilczy pazur
- wilczy pazura vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Russian прибыло́й па́лец
- прибыло́й па́лец (pribylój pálec)a vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Spanish espolón
- espolóna vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Swedish lättklöv, biklöv
- lättklöva vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
- biklöva vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Welsh ewin ffêr
- ewin ffêra vestigial digit, hoof or claw that does not reach the ground
Cite this entry
APA
dewclaw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dewclaw
MLA
“dewclaw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dewclaw. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dewclaw,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dewclaw.
Source: dewclaw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.