dentist
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of dentist
1750–60; < French dentiste, equivalent to dent tooth ( dent 2 ) + -iste -ist
Explanation
A dentist is a doctor who specializes in teeth, gums, and the mouth. If you get a bad toothache, you should probably go to the dentist to make sure you don't have a cavity. When you visit the dentist, you might have your teeth and gums examined and cleaned, or you may need surgery for an impacted wisdom tooth or x-rays to make sure you don't have cavities. Dentists are health care professionals who attend dental school and train for several years before practicing. Dentist comes from the French dentiste, from dent. or "tooth."
Vocabulary lists containing dentist
Body Language: Dent, Dont ("Tooth")
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ist
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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.
“I had a cousin that worked at the dentist that’d make me get up and sing after my appointments.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
"We're caught between three mad powers, and war is terrifying," the 46-year-old dentist told AFP journalists outside Iran.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
A newly minted dentist earns around $150,000 or more, but student loans eat up a lot of their take-home pay, especially in the early years.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
"The whole system is just absurd and unfit for purpose," says Dr Shiv Pabary, a dentist from Newcastle who chairs the BDA's general dental practice committee.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
“And then the next worst guy is down here. Like, the dentist who killed that lion. He’s right here.”
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
