Anodontia
/ˌæn.əˈdɒn.ti.ə/noun
The congenital or acquired absence of all teeth.
Did you know?Its core comes from Greek *odous/odont-* meaning “tooth,” the same root behind words like orthodontics and pseudonym-adjacent scientific coinages that sound almost spell-like.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
an- + odous, odontos
“without teeth”
Modern Scientific Latin
Lat
anodontia
“a condition of lacking teeth”
19th Century
Eng
anodontia
“medical term for absence of teeth”
Modern English
Eng
anodontia
“the absence of all teeth”
Explore more surprising origins