dentary

American  

[den-tuh-ree] / ˈdɛn tə ri /

noun

Zoology.

plural

dentaries

1. one of a pair of membrane bones that in lower vertebrates form the distal part of the lower jaws and in mammals comprise the mandible.

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Etymology

Origin of dentary

1820–30; < Latin dentārius of the teeth, equivalent to dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

In mammals, the dentary bone joins the skull at the squamosal bone, while in other vertebrates, the quadrate bone of the jaw joins with the articular bone of the skull.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The lower jaw of mammals consists of only one bone, the dentary.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

In No. 3943 the coronoid is robust and inclined anteriorly with respect to a line drawn perpendicular to the dentary.

From Pleistocene Soricidae from San Josecito Cave, Nuevo Leon, Mexico by Findley, James S.

The 10 palatine teeth are almost uniform in size; the dentary bears 19 teeth that decrease in size posteriorly.

From Systematic Status of the Colubrid Snake, Leptodeira discolor Gunther by Duellman, William E.

The angular and dentary of the lower jaw appear concurrently with the dentigerous bones.

From Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca by Duellman, William E.