dentine

British

/ ˈdɛntiːn, ˈdɛntɪn /

noun

the calcified tissue surrounding the pulp cavity of a tooth and comprising the bulk of the tooth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

dentinal

adjective

Etymology

Origin of dentine

C19: from _denti- + _-in

Vocabulary lists containing dentine

Body Language: Dent, Dont ("Tooth")

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The material can also be used on exposed dentine, creating an enamel-like coating that helps reduce tooth sensitivity and improves how restorations, such as fillings or veneers, bond to the tooth surface.

From Science Daily • Nov. 6, 2025

Maya dentists drilled holes into the enamel and dentine, then fit the stones and applied a sealant, usually as part of a rite of passage to adulthood.

From Science Magazine • May 20, 2022

They saw there were similar growth patterns in dentine, but the ones from Antarctica had "closely-spaced, thick rings," which the researchers believe was due to prolonged stress.

From Fox News • Aug. 30, 2020

Formation of both enamel and dentine are particularly sensitive to physiological changes – and can therefore show the effects of illness or anxiety during their development.

From Scientific American • Feb. 25, 2011

Odon′toblast, a cell by which dentine is developed.—adjs.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023