edentate
Americanadjective
-
belonging or pertaining to the Edentata, an order of New World mammals characterized by the absence of incisors and canines in the arrangement of teeth and comprising the armadillos, the sloths, and the South American anteaters.
noun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of edentate
First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin ēdentātus, past participle of ēdentāre “to knock the teeth out”; equivalent to ē- variant of ex- “out of” + dent- (stem of dēns ) “tooth” + -ātus past participle ending of first conjugation verbs; see origin at e- 1, tooth, -ate 1
Vocabulary lists containing edentate
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.
An edentate mammal, of the genus Orycteropus, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of Southern Africa.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Noah Webster
The Glyptodon was a mailed edentate, eight feet long, resembling the little armadillo.
From The Elements of Geology by William Harmon Norton
The palatines are edentate, but bear strong ridges throughout their lengths.
From Neotropical Hylid Frogs, Genus Smilisca by William E. Duellman
To lose one’s spoon would be almost as serious as it is for an edentate person to lose his set of false teeth.”
From South: the story of Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition by Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
He secured Brigham's everlasting gratitude by making him a very handsome false set, and performing the same service for all of his favorite, but edentate wives.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 13, No. 78, April, 1864 by Various
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