English Reference

Word

molar

Phoneticsmo·lar

US/ˈmoʊɫəɹ/

UK/mˈəʊlɐ/

Definition

n. a type of tooth at the back of your mouth that you use for chewing. In science, it also refers to a unit used to measure the amount of a substance.

n. the largest of the three types of teeth in the back of the mouth, used for grinding food. In chemistry, it refers to the unit of amount of substance, equal to the number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12.

Examples

“The dentist checked my back molars for cavities.”

“While the human molar is essential for mechanical digestion, the chemical molar allows scientists to quantify the exact number of molecules involved in a reaction.”

Examples

simple

“The dentist checked my back molars for cavities.”

complex

“While the human molar is essential for mechanical digestion, the chemical molar allows scientists to quantify the exact number of molecules involved in a reaction.”

Real-World Examples

“The younger fossil is part of a lower jaw preserving the first two molars.”
Phys.org · 11 Sept 2026
“Rather, they are the kind of larger than life-size illuminated molar that – in these parts at least – advertise that a dental clinic is not too far away.”
BBC News · 8 Sept 2026

Etymology

From Middle English molar, from Latin molāris (“millstone, molar”).

From mol(e) + -ar in the chemistry usage.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domains

ChemistryPhysics

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference