premolar

American  

[pree-moh-ler] / priˈmoʊ lər /

adjective

1. situated in front of the molar teeth.

2. pertaining to a milk tooth that will later be supplanted by a permanent molar.

---

noun

premolars plural

1. a premolar tooth.

2. Also called bicuspid.  (in humans) any of eight teeth located in pairs on each side of the upper and lower jaws between the cuspids and molar teeth.

premolar British  

/ priːˈməʊlə /

adjective

1. situated before a molar tooth

---

noun

1. any one of eight bicuspid teeth in the human adult, two situated on each side of both jaws between the first molar and the canine

premolar Scientific  

/ prē-mō′lər /

1. Any of eight bicuspid teeth in mammals, arranged in pairs on both sides of the upper and lower jaws between the canines and molars. Premolars are used to tear and grind food.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• premolars
  plural

Etymology

Origin of premolar

First recorded in 1835–45; pre- + molar ¹

Example Sentences

But bats with short jaws, including most fruit-eating bats, tended to ditch the middle premolar or the back molar, if not both.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

Until recently, the only reliable way to determine the age of a polar bear has been to extract a premolar and inspect its growth rings.

From New York Times • Aug. 10, 2023

Mr. Biden began experiencing dental pain in his lower right premolar on Sunday, according to a letter from White House physician Kevin O’Connor.

From Washington Times • Jun. 12, 2023

Biden’s personal physician, Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo released by the White House that Biden reported the pain in his lower right premolar on Sunday.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 12, 2023

The second premolar is bifanged; its crown is composed of a principal cusp, to which is added behind a small though very distinct second cusp.

From On The Affinities of Leptarctus primus of Leidy American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VI, Article VIII, pp. 229-331. by Wortman, Jacob Lawson