What is another term for bitten nails?

• A. Onychophagy
• B. Onychia
• C. Koilonychia
• D. Onycholysis

Answer: (A)

The term for bitten nails is onychophagy. This word precisely names the habit of nail biting, describing the behavior rather than a structural change or disease of the nail. It comes from Greek roots meaning nail and to eat, literally “nail-eating,” which is why it’s used to describe the act of biting nails.

In contrast, onychia refers to inflammation of the nail bed, which is about a condition affecting the surrounding tissues rather than the bite habit. Koilonychia means spoon-shaped nails, a specific nail shape that can indicate nutritional or health issues. Onycholysis is the lifting or separation of the nail from the nail bed, usually due to trauma or infection. These terms describe different nail conditions or appearances, not the behavior of nail-biting.