wisdom tooth

American  

noun

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

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idioms

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

wisdom tooth British  

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

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wisdom tooth Scientific  

/ wĭz′dəm /

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

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Etymology

Origin of wisdom tooth

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

CMAT, 29, whose real name is Ciara Mary‑Alice Thompson, attended Thursday's ceremony but did not perform after being treated for an infected wisdom tooth which forced her to cancel tour dates earlier this month.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

Dentist Dr. Jay Friedman, a longtime crusader against wisdom tooth extraction, pointed this out in a 2007 article in the American Journal of Public Health.

From Salon • May 7, 2024

Back in her hometown, Dnipro, in central-eastern Ukraine, a doctor identified an infected wisdom tooth as having caused the soreness and arranged for its immediate removal.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 14, 2023

Hairdresser Katie-Louise Howells, from Milford Haven, does have an NHS dentist but they are unable to remove a wisdom tooth that is growing badly.

From BBC • May 10, 2022

One of my teammates gets frantic about a painfully impacted wisdom tooth and keeps making calls from our houses to try to locate a source of free dental care.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich