bruxism

American

[bruhk-siz-uhm] / ˈbrʌk sɪz əm /

noun

Pathology.

teeth grinding.

bruxism British

/ ˈbrʌksɪzəm /

noun

the habit of grinding the teeth, esp unconsciously

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bruxism Scientific

/ brŭk′sĭz′əm /

The habitual, involuntary grinding or clenching of the teeth, usually during sleep and sometimes associated wth stress.

Etymology

Origin of bruxism

1935–40; < Greek *brȳx ( is ) a gnashing of teeth ( brȳ́k ( ein ) to gnash, bite + -sis -sis ) + -ism

Vocabulary lists containing bruxism

National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 3

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bruxism can occur during the day or at night.

From Washington Post • Jun. 20, 2022

Bruxism, the clenching or grinding of your teeth during sleep, can also get in the way of rest.

From Washington Post • Apr. 25, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023