cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈka-və-tē 

plural cavities

1

: an unfilled space within a mass

especially : a hollowed-out space

2

: an area of decay in a tooth : caries

Synonyms

• concavity
• dent
• depression
• dint
• hole
• hollow
• indentation
• indenture
• pit
• recess

Examples of cavity in a Sentence

Some birds nest in tree cavities.

I had two cavities filled at the dentist's.

Recent Examples on the Web

These acids can eat away at teeth and form cavities (small holes).2 Symptoms of tooth decay, such as heat and cold sensitivity and tooth pain, overlap with those of erosion. —Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 30 July 2024

Morii says that wing-slapping might be widespread among other honeybee species, such as those that nest in cavities with limited entrances. —Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 26 July 2024

But unlike traditional candy that causes cavities and sugar crashes, fruit has amazing benefits for your health. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 22 July 2024

Children from low-income households are twice as likely to have untreated cavities as those from higher-income households. —Erica Jackson Curran, Parents, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French cavité, borrowed from Late Latin cavitāt-, cavitās, from Latin cavus "hollow, concave" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at hole entry 1

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cavity

• abdominal cavity
• body cavity
• pelvic cavity
• segmentation cavity
• spinal cavity
• thoracic cavity

Kids Definition

cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈkav-ət-ē 

plural cavities

1

: a hollow place

especially : an unfilled bodily space

lung cavity

2

: a hole hollowed out in a tooth by decay

Medical Definition

cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈkav-ət-ē 

plural cavities

1

: an unfilled space within a mass

2

: an area of decay in a tooth : caries