tooth

noun

plural teeth ˈtēth How to pronounce tooth (audio)
1
a
: one of the hard bony appendages that are borne on the jaws or in many of the lower vertebrates on other bones in the walls of the mouth or pharynx and serve especially for the prehension and mastication of food and as weapons of offense and defense
b
: any of various usually hard and sharp processes especially about the mouth of an invertebrate
2
: a projection resembling or suggesting the tooth of an animal in shape, arrangement, or action
a saw tooth
: such as
a
: any of the regular projections on the circumference or sometimes the face of a wheel that engage with corresponding projections on another wheel especially to transmit force : cog
b
: a small sharp-pointed marginal lobe or process on a plant
3
a
teeth plural : effective means of enforcement
drug laws with teeth
b
: something that injures, tortures, devours, or destroys
jealousy with rankling toothThomas Gray
4
5
: a roughness of surface produced by mechanical or artificial means
toothlike adjective

Illustration of tooth

Illustration of tooth
  • A outside of a molar
  • 1 crown
  • 2 neck
  • 3 roots
  • B cross section of a molar
  • 1 enamel
  • 2 dentin
  • 3 pulp
  • 4 cementum
  • 5 gum
  • C dentition of adult human (upper) D dentition of adult human (lower)
  • 1 incisors
  • 2 canines
  • 3 bicuspids
  • 4 molars
Phrases
in the teeth of
1
: in or into direct contact or collision with
sailing in the teeth of a hurricaneCurrent Biography
2
: in direct opposition to
rule had … been imposed by conquest in the teeth of obstinate resistanceA. J. Toynbee
to the teeth
: fully, completely
armed to the teeth

Examples of tooth in a Sentence

The dentist will have to pull that tooth. You should brush your teeth every morning and night. She clenched her teeth in anger. He has a set of false teeth. the teeth of a saw The labor union showed that it has teeth.
Recent Examples on the Web The slug pulverized her face, destroyed her cheek and jaw, blew away her eye socket and most of her teeth, damaged her optic nerve, wrecked both eyes and left a gaping hole in her cheek. USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Bonham Carter sinks her teeth into this larger-than-life personality, portraying a lioness in the winter of her career who understands that even if the show is dreck, being its star has become inextricably entwined with her identity. Brian Lowry, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 Nylander also previously cut her teeth at Teen Vogue, CR Fashion Book, and ran content at Pat McGrath Labs and Alexander Wang. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024 The material is too abrasive and can strip away tooth enamel, eventually turning teeth yellow. Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 Leave it to Cardi B to still look good even without a tooth. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 The Grammy-winning rapper, 31, revealed one of her veneers recently fell out and showed off her missing tooth in a hilarious video shared to TikTok on Tuesday. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 Fluoride has been shown to strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities. Jessica Booth, Parents, 10 Mar. 2024 One photo, which shows symmetrical white marks around the deer’s nose and mouth, gives the impression of protruding teeth that resemble the tusks of a Chinese water deer. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tooth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English tōth; akin to Old High German zand tooth, Latin dent-, dens, Greek odont-, odous

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tooth was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near tooth

Cite this Entry

“Tooth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tooth. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tooth

noun
plural teeth ˈtēth How to pronounce tooth (audio)
1
a
: one of the hard bony structures that are usually located on the jaws of vertebrates and are used for seizing and chewing food and as weapons
b
: any of various usually hard and sharp structures especially around the mouth of an invertebrate
2
a
: something like or suggesting the tooth of an animal in shape, arrangement, or action
the tooth of a saw
b
: one of the projections on the rim of a cogwheel that fit between the projections on another part especially to transmit force : cog
toothless
ˈtüth-ləs
adjective
toothlike adjective

Medical Definition

tooth

noun
plural teeth ˈtēth How to pronounce tooth (audio)
: any of the hard bony appendages that are borne on the jaws and serve especially for the prehension and mastication of food see milk tooth, permanent tooth
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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