denti-
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Meet Grammar Coach
Improve Your Writing
Origin of denti-
Words nearby denti-
WORDS THAT USE DENTI-
What does denti- mean?
Denti- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “tooth.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms, including in dentistry.
Denti- 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.
What are variants of denti-?
When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, denti- becomes dent-, as in dentin.
A less common variant of denti- is dento-, as in dentoalveolar.
Examples of denti-
One example of a term from anatomy that features the combining form denti- is dentigerous, meaning “having teeth.”
The denti- portion of the word means “tooth,” as we now know. The -gerous portion of the word means “bearing.” So, dentigerous literally translates to “tooth-bearing.”
What are some words that use the combining form denti-?
- denticle (using the equivalent form of denti- in Latin)
- dentiform
- dentifrice (using the equivalent form of denti- in Latin)
- dentilabial
- dentilingual
- dentiparous
What are some other forms that denti- may be commonly confused with?
The word dent, as in “a hollow or depression in a surface,” does not share a root with the combining form denti-. Learn where dent comes from at our entry for the word.
Example sentences from the Web for denti-
Al quale e adviso che le mani et li denti habbiano perso il loro ordine naturale et del tutto annichilati.'
Gargantua and Pantagruel, Complete.|Francois RabelaisAnche la rana morderebbe se avesse denti—Even the frog would bite if it had teeth.
Onde quilli che manchano de denti o de labri non proferiscono bene.