Dentist
/ˈdɛn.tɪst/noun
A person who is qualified to treat diseases and conditions of the teeth and gums.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Proto-Indo-European *h₃dónts, the ancient root for “tooth,” which also gave us words like “tooth” and “dental” through different language paths.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃dónts
“tooth”
Proto-Italic
PI
*dent-
“tooth”
Latin
Latin
dens, dentis
“tooth”
Old French
OF
dentiste
“one who treats teeth”
17th Century
English
dentist
“a specialist in treating teeth”
Explore more surprising origins