molar

¹ American  

[moh-ler] / ˈmoʊ lər /

noun

• molars
  plural

1. Also called molar tooth.  a tooth having a broad biting surface adapted for grinding, being one of twelve in humans, with three on each side of the upper and lower jaws.

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adjective

1. adapted for grinding, as teeth.

2. pertaining to such teeth.

molar ² American  

[moh-ler] / ˈmoʊ lər /

adjective

1. Physics. pertaining to a body of matter as a whole, as contrasted with molecular and atomic.

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molar ³ American  

[moh-ler] / ˈmoʊ lər /

adjective

Chemistry.

1. pertaining to a solution containing one mole of solute per liter of solution.

2. noting or pertaining to gram-molecular weight.

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molar ¹ British  

/ ˈməʊlə /

noun

1. any of the 12 broad-faced grinding teeth in man

2. a corresponding tooth in other mammals

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating any of these teeth

2. used for or capable of grinding

molar ² British  

/ ˈməʊlə /

adjective

1. (of a physical quantity) per unit amount of substance

   molar volume

2. (not recommended in technical usage) (of a solution) containing one mole of solute per litre of solution

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molar ¹ Scientific  

/ mō′lər /

1. Relating to a mole.

2. Containing one mole of solute per liter of solution.

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molar ² Scientific  

/ mō′lər /

1. Any of the teeth located toward the back of the jaws, having broad crowns for grinding food. Adult humans have 12 molars.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• molars
  plural

Etymology

Origin of molar¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English molares (plural), from Latin molāris “grinding tooth, molar,” equivalent to mol(a) “millstone, mill” + -āris -ar ¹

Origin of molar²

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin mōl(ēs) “a lump; large mass” + -ar ¹

Origin of molar³

First recorded in 1860–65; mole ⁴ + -ar ¹

Explanation

The big strong teeth in the back of your mouth are molars. Molars make it possible for you to chew and grind the food you eat. If you don't have molars, don't order the steak. Humans generally have twelve molars by the time they're adults, including the wisdom teeth which often grow in crooked and need to be removed. All mammals have molars, used for crushing and grinding food, but they come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Molar comes from the Latin molaris dens, "grinding tooth," from the root mola, "millstone."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

molar molars

Standing on four pronged feet at the junction of two rivers, O’Donnell + Tuomey’s five-story design resembles a giant chipped molar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

My dentist said a molar needed to be yanked because of a cellular breakdown called resorption, and a periodontist in his office recommended a bone graft and probably an implant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2026

The one molar she had left had no chewing surface, she said, meaning she could only eat soft food.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2025

In the four states, the new laws created exceptions for immediately life-threatening situations, such as ectopic pregnancies, where the fetus implants outside the uterine cavity, and molar pregnancies, where no embryo forms.

From Salon ● Dec. 5, 2023

Treasury hundred dollar bill, and the dentist is saying, sadly, in French, “I think we can save the molar, but I’m afraid that tongue will have to come out.”

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

The fossil includes unusually large canine and premolar teeth, molars with rounded and strongly textured chewing surfaces, and a particularly sturdy jaw.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

Researchers in the late 1970s found that after patients had their molars extracted, an IV saline drip provided pain relief through the body’s natural ability to produce endorphins.

From Slate ● Jan. 30, 2026

Tamma tiptoes “up climbs with body english and devious footwork”; she clings to fingerholds the size of molars; a fall sees her come “cheesegrating” down a slab.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

Resident zoo vet, Charlotte Bentley said the teeth that they operated on were "highly specialised and sharp molars".

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2025

Then she plants the first brackets around my back molars, metal rings that hug my teeth and bite into my gums.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day