dewlap

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The pendulous skin under the neck of an ox, or a similar feature on any other animal.
  2. The sagging flesh on the throat of an elderly human.

Pronunciation

/ˈdu.læp/ /ˈdju.læp/ /ˈdjuː.læp/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-dewlap.wav

Word forms

dewlap dewlaps

Etymology

From Middle English dewlappe. The first element may be dew (and if not, seems to have been altered by folk etymology to resemble it); the second element is lap (“loose fabric”), Old English læppa (“a loose hanging piece”); compare jellop and jowlop (from jowl + lap), and dewclaw. Compare old Norwegian and Danish doglæp (the modern Danish word for "dew" is dug, but compare Old Norse dǫgg (“dew”) and Norwegian dogg). Old English instead terms such skin the frǣtlæppa (whence Middle English fresh-lappe).

Derived words

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