dent

¹

[dent]

noun

1. a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.

2. a noticeable effect, especially of reduction.

   to leave a dent in one's savings;

   a dent in one's pride.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a dent in or on; indent.

   The impact dented the car's fender.

2. to have the effect of reducing or slightly injuring.

   The caustic remark dented his ego.

verb (used without object)

1. to show dents; become indented.

   Tin dents more easily than steel.

2. to sink in, making a dent.

   Nails dent into metal.

dent

²

[dent]

noun

1. a toothlike projection, as a tooth of a gearwheel.

2. Textiles.,  the space between two wires through which the warp ends are drawn in the reed of a loom.

dent-

³

1. variant of denti- before a vowel.

   dentin.

dent.

⁴

abbreviation

1. dental.

2. dentist.

3. dentistry.

dent

¹

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a hollow or dip in a surface, as one made by pressure or a blow

2. an appreciable effect, esp of lessening

   a dent in our resources

verb

1. to impress or be impressed with a dent or dents

dent

²

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a toothlike protuberance, esp the tooth of a sprocket or gearwheel

2. textiles the space between two wires in a loom through which a warp thread is drawn

dent.

³

abbreviation

1. dental

2. dentistry

Other Word Forms

• undented adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dint, dent, dunt “blow of a weapon; stroke of a sword”; dint

Origin of dent²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Latin dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent¹

C13 (in the sense: a stroke, blow): variant of _dint

Origin of dent²

C16: from French: tooth

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. make a dent in, to show initial progress; pass an initial stage of (work, thought, solving a problem, etc.).

   I haven't even made a dent in this pile of work.

2. make a dent, to cause a person to take heed; make an impression.

   The doctor told him to stop smoking, but it didn't make a dent.

see make a dent in.

Example Sentences

Additional raids beginning last month were part of a propaganda effort, according to some monitors, choreographed to vent pressure from Beijing without too badly denting profits that enrich the junta's militia allies.

Read more on Barron's

The company made a big dent in an area previously dominated by Spanx — selling form-fitting clothes to women meant to improve the wearer’s figure.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But neither seemed to dent his widespread popularity.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This can impact your relationship by making partners feel ignored and parental phone use can really affect children from weakening bonds with younger kids and denting self-esteem in older ones.

Read more on BBC

New data shows it’s making a dent in the U.S. and on iPhones, mainly due to large groups.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• incision 
• indentation 

When To Use

What does dent- mean?

Dent- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “tooth.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms, including in dentistry.Dent- comes from the Latin dēns, meaning “tooth.” Greek words for “tooth” are odṓn, source of the combining forms odonto- and -odont, and odoús, source of the combining form -odus.The word dent, as in "a hollow or depression in a surface," does not share a root with the combining form dent-. Learn where dent comes from at our entry for the word.What are variants of dent-?Dent- is a variant of dento-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use dento- article.Another, more common, variant of dent-, especially before a form with a Latin root, is denti-, as in dentiform.