edentate

American  

[ee-den-teyt] / iˈdɛn teɪt /

adjective

1. 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.

2. toothless.

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noun

1. an edentate mammal.

edentate British  

/ iːˈdɛnteɪt /

noun

1. any of the placental mammals that constitute the order Edentata, which inhabit tropical regions of Central and South America. The order includes anteaters, sloths, and armadillos

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the order Edentata

edentate Scientific  

/ ē-dĕn′tāt′ /

1. Lacking teeth.

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1. Any of various mammals belonging to the order Xenarthra (or Edentata), having no front teeth and few or no back teeth. The lumbar vertebrae have extra joints, which add support during digging. Sloths, armadillos, and anteaters are edentates.

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; e- ¹, tooth, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

One of several species of edentates and monotremes that feed upon ants.

From Project Gutenberg

The palatines are edentate, but bear strong ridges throughout their lengths.

From Project Gutenberg

Tubulidentata.—The second suborder of edentates, namely the Tubulidentata, is represented at the present day only by the aard-varks, or ant-bears, of Africa, constituting the family Orycteropodidae and the genus Orycteropus.

From Project Gutenberg

Aside from marsupials and New World monkeys, its most characteristic animals were edentates and very queer ungulates with no resemblance to those of any other continent.

From Project Gutenberg

The palatine is small, curved anteriorly and edentate.

From Project Gutenberg