frenum

American  

[free-nuhm] / ˈfri nəm /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

plural

frena

1. a fold of membrane that checks or restrains the motion of a part, such as the fold on the underside of the tongue.

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frenum British  

/ ˈfriːnəm /

noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of fraenum

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Etymology

Origin of frenum

First recorded in 1655–65; New Latin, from Latin fraenum, frēnum “bridle, restraint,” of disputed origin

Compare meaning

How does frenum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• frenum vs. frenulum

Example Sentences

I used to curl up my tongue in front of the mirror and tauten my frenum into a white line, itself as thin as a razor blade.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

If my mother was not lying she should have cut more, scraped away the rest of the frenum skin, because I have a terrible time talking.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

Pettit mentions suffocation from "tongue swallowing," both with and without section of the frenum.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)

The projecting, fleshy snout of R. cataractae is bridged to the ventral mouth by a frenum that is approximately 3 mm. wide in specimens 60 mm. in standard length.

From Five Natural Hybrid Combinations in Minnows (Cyprinidae) by Cross, Frank B.

Epithelioma of the floor of the mouth frequently originates in the mucous membrane between the frenum of the tongue and the inner aspect of the gum.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander