talon

IPA/ˈtælən/
KK[tˈælən]IPA/ˈtælən/

talon — noun

  • talonsingular
  • talonsplural

1. a long, curved, pointed nail on the toe of a hunting bird such as an eagle or a

1.名詞B2
釋義

a long, curved, pointed nail on the toe of a hunting bird such as an eagle or a hawk, used for catching and holding the animals it eats

例句

The eagle's talon sank into the fish as it lifted the prey from the lake.

collocation: talon + sink into [prey]

Soraya watched the hawk sharpen its talons against the rough bark of the oak tree.

同義詞
  • claw

    a broader term for any curved nail on an animal's foot; talon is a specific type of claw found on birds of prey

  • nail

    a more general term for hard growths at the tip of fingers or toes; much less sharp and strong than a talon

文法句型

often possessive: [bird]'s talons

often plural: talons

用法筆記

Often used in the plural form (talons) because birds of prey have several on each foot. The word is most commonly used for predatory birds such as eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. The more general word 'claw' can be used for other animals such as cats and bears.

常見錯誤

❌The cat dug its talons into the sofa.
✅The cat dug its claws into the sofa.
💡Talons refers specifically to the claws of birds of prey, not to the claws of mammals like cats.