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REFERENCE

teeth

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈtiθ// UK //tˈiːθ// teeth Informal Slang Vulgar

n. the hard, white parts in your mouth that you use for biting and eating food.

n. the hard, calcified structures set in the jaws of humans and many vertebrates, used for biting and chewing. Plural form of 'tooth'.


SIMPLE

You should brush your teeth twice a day.

CONTEXTUAL

The dentist checked my teeth for cavities and suggested I start flossing more regularly.

COMPLEX

Evolutionary biologists study the shape and wear of fossilised teeth to determine the dietary habits of extinct mammalian species.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English teth, plural of tothe, from Old English tēþ, nominative plural of tōþ, from earlier tœ̄þ, from Proto-Germanic tanþiz, nominative plural of tanþs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃dóntes, nominative plural of *h₃dónts.

Usage

Irregular plural of 'tooth'.

Pitfall

I have two toothsI have two teethThe word uses an irregular plural form; do not add 's' to the singular.

Idioms16 entries

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