wisdom tooth

noun

1. the third molar on each side of the upper and lower jaws: the last tooth to erupt.

wisdom tooth

noun

1. Technical name: third molar. any of the four molar teeth, one at the back of each side of the jaw, that are the last of the permanent teeth to erupt

2. to arrive at the age of discretion

wisdom tooth

1. One of four molars, the last on each side of both jaws in humans, usually appearing in young adulthood.

Word History and Origins

Origin of wisdom tooth¹

First recorded in 1660–70

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. cut one's wisdom teeth, to attain maturity or discretion.

Example Sentences

In a social media post, the 29-year-old rising star said she requires urgent dental surgery to remove two wisdom teeth.

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I remain her emergency contact, of course, receiving, over the last few years, texted updates of a midmorning migraine, the just-noticed emergence of a wisdom tooth or a more existential crisis.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He said he was taking medication for abscesses in his wisdom teeth when he woke up with "a really strange feeling" in his chest.

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And the crown was next to a wisdom tooth that might have to be yanked to make room for him to saw off the crown and fix the cavity.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There is nothing wise about the way humans view wisdom teeth, according to many experts.

Read more on Salon