wisdom tooth

noun

: the third molar that is the last tooth to erupt on each side of the upper and lower jaws in humans

Examples of wisdom tooth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Penghu 1 and Xiahe mandibles did not have wisdom teeth, which could indicate that their jaws did not protrude forward in their face, said Ryan McRae, a paleoanthropologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025

Comfortable, like sitting down hard with your back pockets full of roofing tacks while having your wisdom teeth removed. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025

The man’s dental work was average, with the lower right wisdom tooth either missing or impacted. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025

Studies have shown that around 35 percent of the population are now born without wisdom teeth. —Julia Craven, Popular Science, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from being cut usually in the late teens

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wisdom tooth

• bluetooth
• forsooth
• sawtooth
• tolbooth
• uncouth
• untruth
• vermouth
• luth
• muth
• sleuth
• sooth
• youth

Kids Definition

wisdom tooth

noun

: the last tooth of the full set of teeth on each side of the upper and lower jaw in a human being

Medical Definition

wisdom tooth

noun

wis·​dom tooth ˈwiz-dəm- 

: the third molar that is the last tooth to erupt on each side of the upper and lower human jaw