fluoride

noun

often attributive
1
: a compound of fluorine
2
: the monovalent anion of fluorine

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web That fluoride needs time to sit on your teeth and do its thing. Drew Schwartz, SELF, 10 Feb. 2023 For instance, a fluoride-free toothpaste might leave you — or your kids — with a mouthful of cavities. Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 12 Sep. 2019 Adults should use a toothpaste that contains at least 1,450 parts per million (ppm) fluoride. Bianca London, Glamour, 12 Jan. 2023 However, fluoride can only do so much due to its limited ability to reach the depth of the enamel. Felicity Carter, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2023 Unsubstantiated claims about potential dangers of fluoride have circulated for decades and prompted waves of debate before the Anchorage Assembly in the 1990s. Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Feb. 2023 Unsubstantiated claims about potential dangers of fluoride have circulated for decades and prompted waves of debate before the Anchorage Assembly in the 1990s. Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 7 Feb. 2023 The addition of fluoride to public drinking water systems has been routine in communities across the United States since the 1940s and 1950s. Lisa Rathke, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2022 According to the World Health Organization, concentrations of fluoride are usually kept to around 1 part per million. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2016 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fluoride.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluoride was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near fluoride

Cite this Entry

“Fluoride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluoride. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

fluoride

noun
flu·​o·​ride
ˈflu̇(-ə)r-ˌīd
: a compound of fluorine with another element or chemical group

Medical Definition

fluoride

noun
flu·​o·​ride ˈflu̇(-ə)r-ˌīd How to pronounce fluoride (audio)
1
: a compound of fluorine with a more electropositive element or radical
2
: the monovalent anion of fluorine
fluoride adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on fluoride

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