fang

The word 'fang' has a direct lineage from Old English 'fang' or 'feng,' meaning "a seizing, capture, or prey." This itself derives from the Proto-Germanic verb 'fanganą,' meaning "to seize or capture." The semantic shift from the act of seizing to the tool for seizing—the long, sharp tooth—is a clear and logical metaphorical development. This etymological journey illustrates how a general term for capture became specialized in English to refer to the predatory teeth that perform the act, a meaning solidified by the late 14th century.

The word is a simplex. It is a loanword from Old English, where it functioned as a noun meaning "capture, seizing" and also "booty." Its functional role is as a standalone lexical root.