toothbrush

American  

[tooth-bruhsh] / ˈtuθˌbrʌʃ /

noun

• toothbrushes
  plural

1. a small brush with a long handle, for cleaning the teeth.

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toothbrush British  

/ ˈtuːθˌbrʌʃ /

noun

1. a small brush, usually with a long handle, for cleaning the teeth

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• toothbrushes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of toothbrush

First recorded in 1645–55; tooth + brush ¹

Explanation

When you clean your teeth, you use a toothbrush. Most toothbrushes are made of plastic, with soft bristles at one end for scrubbing your teeth. Before the modern toothbrush was invented, people used things like sticks, feathers, bones, and porcupine quills to clean their teeth. Twigs with frayed ends, called "chew sticks," were the toothbrush's precursor, and they are still used in various parts of the world. The earliest toothbrushes were invented in China, and the first patent was awarded in 1857 in the U.S. for a toothbrush with a bone handle and boar's hair bristles.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

toothbrush toothbrushes

Arriving in pink and blue colors, the toothbrush will be available in Sephora and BestBuy and on Amazon.com in September, and in Costco later in the fall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

A gadget only a dentist could love — a $499 toothbrush with AI and a camera.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Boots, sun cream, toothbrush: players on World Cup duty have plenty of essential items to remember.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

Picking a color when you’re getting a new toothbrush.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

I see Hitler with that toothbrush mustache, hair flopping in his eyes, ranting and raving.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Dyson aims to convince consumers to swap out their analog toothbrushes and dental floss for a $499 machine—as well as a special nonfoaming Dyson toothpaste.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Volunteers organized the supplies — toothbrushes, baby wipes, instant soup and many other items — and loaded them into boxes, drawing hearts on the outside with magic marker.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

Hygiene is essential for everyday items that come into close contact with the body, including clothing, masks, and toothbrushes.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 26, 2026

Khalid, Julia and Benjamin don't have passports, and they've had to pay for things like toothbrushes out of pocket while detained in a hotel in Malabo, the economic capital.

From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026

I selected some Oil of Olay face cream and new toothbrushes.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• broom