carnassial

[ kahr-nas-ee-uhl ]

adjective

1. (of teeth) adapted for shearing flesh.

noun

1. a carnassial tooth, especially the last upper premolar or the first lower molar tooth of certain carnivores.

carnassial

/ kɑːˈnæsɪəl /

adjective

1. zoology of, relating to, or designating the last upper premolar and first lower molar teeth of carnivores, which have sharp edges for tearing flesh

noun

1. a carnassial tooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of carnassial¹

1840–50; < French carnassi ( er ) flesh-eating (< Provençal, equivalent to carnasse augmentative derivative of carn flesh, meat (< Latin carn-, stem of carō ) + -ier -ary ) + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of carnassial¹

C19: from French carnassier meat-eating, from Provençal, from carnasso abundance of meat, from carn meat, flesh, from Latin carō

Example Sentences

The second is strong and essentially carnassial; it is compressed laterally and obliquely placed.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no carnassial tooth, and the teeth in other ways differ considerably from those of Carnivora vera.

From Project Gutenberg

In the Creodonta there are no specially differentiated carnassial teeth.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no special carnassial tooth, and the incisors are always fewer than 3/3.

From Project Gutenberg

The carnassial tooth of the upper jaw has three lobes to the blade; that of the lower jaw is without an inner cusp.

From Project Gutenberg