tusk
UK: tʌsk | US: tʌsk
n. a long, pointed tooth, usually one of a pair, that protrudes from the mouth of certain animals (e.g., elephants, walruses, or wild boars).
The word "tusk" originates from Old English tūsc or tux, meaning "a long, pointed tooth." It is derived from Proto-Germanic tunþskaz, related to tanþs (tooth), and shares roots with Old Norse toskr (tusk). The word has retained its core meaning over centuries, specifically referring to the elongated teeth of animals used for digging, fighting, or display. Unlike compound words, "tusk" is a compact Germanic term with no separable morphemes in modern English.
The elephant used its tusk to dig for water in the dry riverbed.
Poachers hunt walruses for their ivory tusks.
A wild boar’s tusk can be dangerously sharp.
The fossilized tusk revealed clues about the mammoth’s diet.
He carved intricate designs into the walrus tusk.