# How many people know what term is being described by this definition? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 15, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827 "2011-03-15T20:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/1 "2011-03-15T20:20:08Z")
We played trivia at a bar quiz last night. My wife answered one the questions, and it turns out she was the only one in the bar who had ever heard of the term they wanted. We’ve asked around since then, and just one of her friends has ever heard of the word. So, here is the question. Who here can answer it without Googling? TERMS - What word is used to describe a square-shaped fingernail with oval edges? We’re curious to see how well-known the word is. If no one posts it, I’ll post it tonight. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/2 "2011-03-15T20:28:31Z")
Squoval? Why do I know this? … probably because I read anything when waiting to see a doctor/haircut. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/3 "2011-03-15T20:29:57Z")
Spatulate? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/4 "2011-03-15T20:30:34Z")
If you can still squedit, you should squoiler that squanswer, SQUE-Sabbath. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/5 "2011-03-15T21:02:47Z")
Not a clue. I’m guessing it’s some sort of industry term that manicurists would probably know, but not many people in the general public… Wait… _Squoval_? That’s a real word??? ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/6 "2011-03-15T21:14:42Z")
Yeah, it’s squoval. Although after a quick Google, apparently it’s been trademarked. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/7 "2011-03-15T21:30:10Z")
Sounds like a good Balderdash word. Being a made-up, trademarked word, though, maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Dusty\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@Dusty\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dusty_Rose)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/8 "2011-03-15T21:37:13Z")
Crud. We need an option for “I thought I knew the answer, but it turns out I was wrong and now I messed up your poll.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/9 "2011-03-15T22:03:03Z")
I’d never heard till now. I bristle at the definition given – what the hell is an “oval edge?” [This illustration](http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/24072_380852721167_318873476167_3706698_7985282_n.jpg) shows it more clearly as halfway between square and oval. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/10 "2011-03-16T00:12:58Z")
I would have called them… French tips …but I could be wrong. Don’t know really, I never had them myself. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/11 "2011-03-16T01:11:50Z")
Fff. Was I actually right? That’s weird. It just kind of floated up in my head like the question to a Jeopardy answer. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/12 "2011-03-16T02:16:42Z")
Well, since I’ve had one manicure in my life, I’m okay with not knowing that word. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/13 "2011-03-16T03:14:25Z")
> [@Emily\_Litella](#): > > I would have called them… French tips > > …but I could be wrong. Don’t know really, I never had them myself. Yep, that’s what I thought too, probably because that’s the only term I know related to nails. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/14 "2011-03-16T05:49:38Z")
No idea. I’m having trivia night with my family this weekend. I hope this question comes up. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/15 "2011-03-16T06:30:00Z")
that’s a word? hmm… squangle, squacle. are there real words for these shapes too? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/16 "2011-03-16T15:52:34Z")
I cheated and googled the answer. Man I can’t believe there’s an entire online maganzine devoted to fingernails 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/17 "2011-03-16T16:52:58Z")
It wasn’t what I thought it was but it does make sense at least. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-know-what-term-is-being-described-by-this-definition/574827/18 "2011-03-16T19:42:55Z")
The site I found on google says its a relatively new term. The only shapes I would have been able to identify would be: chewed, short, long, really long, and weird.