tusk

[ tuhsk ]

noun

1. (in certain animals) a tooth developed to great length, usually one of a pair, as in the elephant, walrus, and wild boar, but singly in the narwhal.
2. a long, pointed, or protruding tooth.
3. a projection resembling the tusk of an animal.
4. Also called gain. Carpentry. a diagonally cut shoulder at the end of a timber for strengthening a tenon.

verb (used with object)

1. to dig up or tear off with the tusks.
2. to gore with a tusk.

verb (used without object)

1. to dig up or thrust at the ground with the tusks.

tusk

/ tʌsk /

noun

1. a pointed elongated usually paired tooth in the elephant, walrus, and certain other mammals that is often used for fighting
2. the canine tooth of certain animals, esp horses
3. a sharp pointed projection
4. Also calledtusk tenon building trades a tenon shaped with an additional oblique shoulder to make a stronger joint

verb

1. to stab, tear, or gore with the tusks

tusk

/ tŭsk /

1. A long, pointed tooth, usually one of a pair, projecting from the mouth of certain animals, such as elephants, walruses, and wild pigs. Tusks are used for procuring food and as weapons.

Derived Forms

• tusked, adjective
• ˈtuskˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• tuskless adjective
• tusklike adjective
• un·tusked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tusk¹

before 900; Middle English, metathetic variant of tux, Old English, variant of tusc tush ²; cognate with Old Frisian tusk; akin to tooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of tusk¹

Old English tūsc ; related to Old Frisian tosk ; see tooth

Example Sentences

African elephants face threats from poachers, with thousands of them illegally killed each year for their tusks.

From BBC

Mammoth teeth and tusks are among the items discovered on a new dig at a site that inspired a Sir David Attenborough documentary.

From BBC

They also have found small pieces of mastodon tusk, but nothing this big and intact.

From Seattle Times

A new way of quickly distinguishing between illegal elephant ivory and legal mammoth tusk ivory could prove critical to fighting the illegal ivory trade.

From Science Daily

Poachers kill elephants for their tusks and rhinos for their horns.

From NewsForKids.net

Related Words

• ivory