dewlap

C2 Topic:Animals

US /ˈduːˌlæp/ UK /ˈdjuːˌlæp/ See IPA manual

Freq #195473

Meanings

1

noun
a loose fold of skin hanging beneath the neck of cattle, dogs, goats, and some other animals

The bull's heavy dewlap swung as it crossed the field.
2

noun
an extensible, often brightly colored flap of throat skin used by some lizards for display

The anole extended its red dewlap to warn a rival away.
3

noun
loose or sagging flesh beneath a person's chin or throat

The portrait emphasizes the old man's jowls and dewlap.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a loose fold of skin... throat foldloose neck skin

2 noun · an extensible, often... throat fangular flap

3 noun · loose or sagging flesh... loose throat flesh

Word family

Forms dewlaps

Derived forms dewlapped

Related forms wattle jowl throat gular

Etymology

From Middle English dewlappe. The second element is related to Old English laeppa, 'a loose hanging piece or flap'; the origin of the first element is uncertain and may have been reshaped under the influence of dew. The animal sense is medieval, while the human sense is an extension by resemblance.

Topics

Animals

External links

# dewlap

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈduːˌlæp/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdjuːˌlæp/
**Frequency rank:** 195473

## Meanings
1. a loose fold of skin hanging beneath the neck of cattle, dogs, goats, and some other animals
2. an extensible, often brightly colored flap of throat skin used by some lizards for display
3. loose or sagging flesh beneath a person's chin or throat

## Examples
- The bull's heavy dewlap swung as it crossed the field.
- The anole extended its red dewlap to warn a rival away.
- The portrait emphasizes the old man's jowls and dewlap.

## Synonyms
- throat fold
- throat fan
- gular flap

## Derived Forms
- dewlapped

## Related Forms
- wattle
- jowl
- throat
- gular

## Etymology
From Middle English dewlappe. The second element is related to Old English laeppa, 'a loose hanging piece or flap'; the origin of the first element is uncertain and may have been reshaped under the influence of dew. The animal sense is medieval, while the human sense is an extension by resemblance.

## Topics
- Animals

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