Dental
/ˈdɛn.təl/noun
Relating to the teeth or to dentistry.
Did you know?“Dental” ultimately comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root that gave English words like *tooth* and *teeth*, tying a medical term to one of humanity’s oldest body-based roots.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃dónts / *h₃dent-
“tooth”
Latin
Latin
dens, dentis
“tooth”
Late Latin
Latin
dentālis
“of or relating to the teeth”
Old French
Old French
dental
“tooth-related”
Middle English
English
dental
“pertaining to the teeth or pronounced with the teeth”
Modern English
English
dental
“relating to the teeth or dentistry”