Tong vs. Tongue — Which is Correct Spelling?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 18, 2024
"Tong" is the incorrect spelling of "tongue." "Tongue" refers to the muscular organ in the mouth involved in tasting, swallowing, and speaking.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Tong or Tongue
How to spell Tongue?
Tong
Incorrect Spelling
Tongue
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
Relate the "ue" at the end of "tongue" to unique or antique, which also have unconventional endings.
Remember that "tongue" has the same "ue" ending as other body-related words like "rogue."
Think of the "ue" in "tongue" as helping you say "ah" when the doctor examines it.
The word "tongue" contains the word "tong," plus "ue" to make the pronunciation clear.
Visualize the tongue in your mouth reaching out to grab the extra "ue" at the end.
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How Do You Spell Tongue Correctly?
Incorrect: He spoke in a strange tong.
Correct: He spoke in a strange tongue.
Incorrect: She bit her tong while chewing gum.
Correct: She bit her tongue while chewing gum.
Incorrect: Can you pull your tong out for the doctor?
Correct: Can you pull your tongue out for the doctor?
Incorrect: He burnt his tong eating the hot soup.
Correct: He burnt his tongue eating the hot soup.
Incorrect: The dog's tong is hanging out.
Correct: The dog's tongue is hanging out.
Tongue Definitions
The ability to articulate thoughts in speech or writing.
He has a sharp tongue when arguing.
The flexible muscular organ in the mouth, used for tasting, licking, and swallowing.
The cat licked its whiskers with its tongue.
A language or dialect spoken by a particular people or in a particular country.
She speaks fluent Russian and English, but her mother tongue is Ukrainian.
A projecting strip on a material used in conjunction with a groove on another piece to join them together.
The carpenter fitted the tongue of one board into the groove of another.
The vibrating part of a musical instrument, such as a reed in a wind instrument or a piece of metal in a harmonica.
The broken tongue of the harmonica produced no sound.
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical vertebrate. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste.
The fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and (in humans) articulating speech.
Used in reference to a person's style or manner of speaking
He was a redoubtable debater with a caustic tongue
A strip of leather or fabric under the laces in a shoe, attached only at the front end.
The free-swinging metal piece inside a bell which is made to strike the bell to produce the sound.
A long, low promontory of land.
A projecting strip on a wooden board fitting into a groove on another.
The vibrating reed of a musical instrument or organ pipe.
A jet of flame
A tongue of flame flashed from the gun
Sound (a note) distinctly on a wind instrument by interrupting the air flow with the tongue
Eugene has worked out the correct tonguing
Lick or caress with the tongue
The other horse tongued every part of the colt's mane
The fleshy, movable, muscular organ, attached in most vertebrates to the floor of the mouth, that is the principal organ of taste, an aid in chewing and swallowing, and, in humans, an important organ of speech.
An analogous organ or part in invertebrate animals, as in certain insects or mollusks.
The tongue of an animal, such as a cow, used as food.
A spoken language or dialect.
Speech; talk
If there is goodness in your heart, it will come to your tongue.
The act or power of speaking
She had no tongue to answer.
Tongues Speech or vocal sounds produced in a state of religious ecstasy.
Style or quality of utterance
Her sharp tongue.
The bark or baying of a hunting dog that sees game
The dog gave tongue when the fox came through the hedge.
The vibrating end of a reed in a wind instrument.
A flame.
The flap of material under the laces or buckles of a shoe.
A spit of land; a promontory.
A bell clapper.
The harnessing pole attached to the front axle of a horse-drawn vehicle.
A protruding strip along the edge of a board that fits into a matching groove on the edge of another board.
(Music) To separate or articulate (notes played on a brass or wind instrument) by shutting off the stream of air with the tongue.
To touch or lick with the tongue.
To give (someone) a French-kiss.
To provide (a board) with a tongue.
To join by means of a tongue and groove.
(Archaic) To scold.
(Music) To articulate notes on a brass or wind instrument.
To project
A spit of land tonguing into the bay.
The flexible muscular organ in the mouth that is used to move food around, for tasting and that is moved into various positions to modify the flow of air from the lungs in order to produce different sounds in speech.
This organ, as taken from animals used for food (especially cows).
Cold tongue with mustard
Any similar organ, such as the lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk; the proboscis of a moth or butterfly; or the lingua of an insect.
(metonym) A language.
He was speaking in his native tongue.
(obsolete) Speakers of a language, collectively.
(obsolete) Voice the distinctive sound of a person's speech; accent distinctive manner of pronouncing a language.
Manner of speaking, often habitually.
(metonym) A person speaking in a specified manner (most often plural).
The power of articulate utterance; speech generally.
(obsolete) Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
(obsolete) Honourable discourse; eulogy.
Glossolalia.
In a shoe, the flap of material that goes between the laces and the foot (so called because it resembles a tongue in the mouth).
Any large or long physical protrusion on an automotive or machine part or any other part that fits into a long groove on another part.
A projection, or slender appendage or fixture.
The tongue of a buckle, or of a balance
A long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or lake.
The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
The clapper of a bell.
(figuratively) An individual point of flame from a fire.
A small sole (type of fish).
(nautical) A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also, the upper main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
(music) A reed.
(geology) A division of formation; A layer or member of a formation that pinches out in one direction.
On a wind instrument, to articulate a note by starting the air with a tap of the tongue, as though by speaking a 'd' or 't' sound (alveolar plosive).
Playing wind instruments involves tonguing on the reed or mouthpiece.
(slang) To manipulate with the tongue, as in kissing or oral sex.
To protrude in relatively long, narrow sections.
A soil horizon that tongues into clay
To talk; to prate.
To speak; to utter.
To chide; to scold.
An organ situated in the floor of the mouth of most vertebrates and connected with the hyoid arch.
To make his English sweet upon his tongue.
The power of articulate utterance; speech.
Parrots imitating human tongue.
Honorable discourse; eulogy.
She was born noble; let that title find her a private grave, but neither tongue nor honor.
A language; the whole sum of words used by a particular nation; as, the English tongue.
Whose tongue thou shalt not understand.
To speak all tongues.
Speech; words or declarations only; - opposed to thoughts or actions.
My little children, let us love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
A people having a distinct language.
A will gather all nations and tongues.
The lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk.
Any small sole.
That which is considered as resembing an animal's tongue, in position or form.
A projection, or slender appendage or fixture; as, the tongue of a buckle, or of a balance.
A projection on the side, as of a board, which fits into a groove.
A point, or long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or a lake.
A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also. the upper main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
To modulate or modify with the tongue, as notes, in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
To join means of a tongue and grove; as, to tongue boards together.
To use the tongue in forming the notes, as in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
A mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
A human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer language
Any long thin projection that is transient;
Tongues of flame licked at the walls
Rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark
A manner of speaking;
He spoke with a thick tongue
She has a glib tongue
A narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea
The tongue of certain animals used as meat
The flap of material under the laces of a shoe or boot
Metal striker that hangs inside a bell and makes a sound by hitting the side
Articulate by tonguing, as when playing wind instruments
Lick or explore with the tongue
Tongue Meaning in a Sentence
The snake flicked its tongue in and out.
Her mother taught her to hold her tongue in public.
The chef praised the texture of the beef tongue.
He lost his tongue ring while eating.
The teacher scolded him for his sharp tongue.
The tongue of his shoe came loose while running.
With a swollen tongue, it was hard to speak clearly.
She could feel the ice cream melt on her tongue.
He poked his tongue out in concentration.
In cold weather, your tongue can stick to metal surfaces.
His tongue felt heavy after the anesthesia.
The doctor asked him to say "ah" and show his tongue.
The lawyer had a silver tongue, persuading the jury with ease.
The poet was known for his gifted tongue.
The key to making friends in a new country is learning the local tongue.
Her tongue stumbled over the complicated scientific terms.
The bitter taste lingered on his tongue.
After biting his tongue, he couldn't taste anything.
Tongue Idioms & Phrases
Bite your tongue
To stop yourself from saying something that might be inappropriate or hurtful.
She had to bite her tongue to not criticize her friend's cooking.
Silver tongue
The ability to speak eloquently and persuasively.
With his silver tongue, he could sell sand in the desert.
Cat got your tongue?
A question asked when someone is at a loss for words.
What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?
Find your tongue
To become able to talk or to speak more freely.
After a few minutes of silence, he finally found his tongue.
Have a sharp tongue
To tend to speak in a severe or critical manner.
She is known for having a sharp tongue; her words often sting.
Slip of the tongue
An unintentional error in speaking.
His admission of guilt was a slip of the tongue.
Tongue-tied
Unable to speak effectively because of nervousness or shyness.
He became tongue-tied when asked to speak in front of the class.
Tongue in cheek
Speaking or writing in a humorous or mocking way.
His comment about winning the lottery was made tongue in cheek.
Hold your tongue
To keep silent or not speak about something.
He knew he should hold his tongue during the heated argument.
On the tip of the tongue
Nearly able to recall or say something.
His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember it.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called tongue?
The word "tongue" derives from the Old English "tunge," which means the organ of taste and speech.
How do we divide tongue into syllables?
"Tongue" is divided as: tongue.
How many syllables are in tongue?
There is one syllable in "tongue."
What is a stressed syllable in tongue?
The whole word "tongue" is stressed, as it is only one syllable.
How is tongue used in a sentence?
e.g., He accidentally bit his tongue while eating.
What part of speech is tongue?
"Tongue" is a noun.
What is the root word of tongue?
The root word of "tongue" is the Old English "tunge."
What is the verb form of tongue?
There is no standard verb form for "tongue"; however, it can be used informally, meaning to lick or push with the tongue.
Is the word tongue Gerund?
No, "tongue" is not a gerund; it is a noun.
What is the pronunciation of tongue?
Tongue is pronounced as /tʌŋ/.
What is the singular form of tongue?
The singular form is "tongue."
Is tongue an abstract noun?
No, "tongue" is a concrete noun, as it refers to a physical part of the body.
Is the word “tongue” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Tongue" can serve as a direct object in sentences like "He bit his tongue."
What is another term for tongue?
Another term for "tongue" could be "lingua" in a more formal or medical context.
Is tongue an adverb?
No, "tongue" is not an adverb.
Is tongue a vowel or consonant?
The word "tongue" starts with a consonant.
Is the tongue term a metaphor?
The term can be used metaphorically in contexts like "mother tongue."
Which determiner is used with tongue?
Determiners like "the," "my," "his" can be used with "tongue."
Which preposition is used with tongue?
Prepositions like "on," "in," and "with" are commonly used with "tongue."
Which article is used with tongue?
Both "the" and "a" can be used with "tongue," depending on the context.
What is the plural form of tongue?
The plural form is "tongues."
What is the opposite of tongue?
There is no direct opposite, but in some contexts, "silence" could be considered the opposite.
Is tongue a noun or adjective?
"Tongue" is a noun.
Is tongue a countable noun?
Yes, "tongue" is a countable noun.
Is tongue a negative or positive word?
"Tongue" is neutral; it is neither inherently negative nor positive.
Is tongue a collective noun?
No, "tongue" is not a collective noun.
Is the word tongue imperative?
"Tongue" is not typically used in an imperative form.
Which vowel is used before tongue?
Typically, the vowel "e" is used before "tongue" in the definite article "the."
Which conjunction is used with tongue?
Conjunctions like "and" or "but" can be used with "tongue."
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
