Meanings
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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.
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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.
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3
noun
loose or sagging flesh beneath a person's chin or throat
The portrait emphasizes the old man's jowls and dewlap.
Thesaurus
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.