root canal

American

noun

Dentistry.

Also called pulp canal. the root portion of the pulp cavity.
Informal. root canal therapy.

root canal British

noun

the passage in the root of a tooth through which its nerves and blood vessels enter the pulp cavity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of root canal

First recorded in 1890–95

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.

Studies on root canal infections suggest the two are closely connected.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

A successful root canal may provide benefits that extend beyond saving a tooth.

From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2026

Pressure is building on Mr. Johnson to bring the House back to start over, a prospect almost as appealing as a root canal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025

"We're getting to a point where it's no longer an option to treat with fillings or root canal."

From BBC • Sep. 22, 2025

"A monochrome Jackson Pollock," Jane says, and then tells Tiny, "We gotta bolt. This band is like a root canal sans painkiller."

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023