tusk

1 of 2

noun

1
: an elongated greatly enlarged tooth (as of an elephant or walrus) that projects when the mouth is closed and serves especially for digging food or as a weapon
broadly : a long protruding tooth
2
: one of the small projections on a tusk tenon
tusked adjective
tusklike adjective

tusk

2 of 2

verb

tusked; tusking; tusks

transitive verb

: to dig up with a tusk
also : to gash with a tusk

Examples of tusk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But one fossil with large tusks is found quite commonly in the Karoo — the dicynodont. Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024 Other objects that were aboard the ship included elephant tusks, plus weapons, galley wares, balance weights and musical instruments, per the INA. Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
Mountain lions, tarantulas, snakes, and tusked pig-like creatures called javelina call the park home, too. Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Jan. 2023 These huge, tusked mammals roamed the Earth during the Pleistocene and early Holocene epochs, before disappearing roughly 4,000 years ago. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for tusk 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tusk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, alteration of tux, from Old English tūx; akin to Old English tūsc tush

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1629, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tusk was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near tusk

Cite this Entry

“Tusk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tusk. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tusk

1 of 2 noun
1
: a very long large tooth (as of an elephant, walrus, or boar) that sticks out when the mouth is closed and is used especially for digging food or as a weapon
2
: a tooth-shaped part
tusked adjective

tusk

2 of 2 verb
: to dig up or gash with a tusk

Medical Definition

tusk

noun
: an elongated greatly enlarged tooth that projects when the mouth is closed and serves for digging food or as a weapon
broadly : a long protruding tooth

More from Merriam-Webster on tusk

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