dent
1Idioms about dent
Origin of dent
1OTHER WORDS FROM dent
un·dent·ed, adjectiveOther definitions for dent (2 of 4)
Origin of dent
2Other definitions for dent (3 of 4)
Other definitions for dent (4 of 4)
WORDS THAT USE DENT-
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.
Examples of dent-
A word you may have come across related to dent- is dentist, from the French dentiste. A dentist is “a person whose profession is dentistry, the prevention and treatment of diseases and malformations of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity.”
We know dent- refers to “tooth,” so what does the -ist portion of the word mean? The suffix -ist denotes “a person who practices or is concerned with something.” A dentist is literally a “tooth-ist”!
What are some words that use or are related to the combining form dent-?
What are some other forms that dent- may be commonly confused with?
How to use dent in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for dent (1 of 3)
Word Origin for dent
British Dictionary definitions for dent (2 of 3)
Word Origin for dent
British Dictionary definitions for dent (3 of 3)
Other Idioms and Phrases with dent
see make a dent in.