엄니

Korean

Etymology 1

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 엄니 (Yale: emni). Equivalent to 엄 (eom, “mother, *great”) (~ 어머니 (eomeoni, “mother”)) + 니 (ni, “tooth”) (Modern 이 (i)). Compare 엄지 (eomji, “thumb, the great finger”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈɘ(ː)mni]
• Phonetic hangul: [엄(ː)니]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eomni
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eomni
McCune–Reischauer?	ŏmni
Yale Romanization?	ēmni

Noun

엄니 • (eomni)

1. a long, pointed tooth, canine or fang of beasts of prey or serpents, as well as tusk of elephants, mammoths, walruses, wild boars, etc.

Synonyms

• 송곳니 (songgonni, “incisor”)
• 대아 (大牙, daea, “fang, tusk”)
• 상아 (象牙, sang'a, “ivory”)

Related terms

• 엄 (eom, “molar”) (obsolete)
• 니 (ni, “tooth”) (archaic, now suffixal)
• 이 (i, “tooth”)

See also

• 어금니 (eogeumni, “molar”)

Etymology 2

Presumably abbreviation of 어머니 (eomeoni).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ʌ̹mni]
• Phonetic hangul: [엄니]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eomni
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eomni
McCune–Reischauer?	ŏmni
Yale Romanization?	emni

Noun

엄니 • (eomni)

1. Jeolla dialect, Chungcheong, Seoul, and Gyeongsang form of 어머니 (eomeoni, “mother”).