Dentalis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term relating to the teeth, often used in the context of sounds produced by the tongue contacting the upper teeth, such as in certain phonetic pronunciations
2. Referring to characteristics or features associated with the teeth, particularly in anatomical or linguistic discussions about dental sounds
3. Pertaining to dental structures or functions, commonly used in fields like dentistry or phonetics to describe specific aspects of teeth or tooth-related sounds

Etymology: "Dentalis" is the Latin adjective meaning "of teeth," formed from "dens" (genitive "dentis"), the Latin word for tooth. The root has come down through many European languages, which is why English "dental" and the French and Spanish words for the same idea look so alike. The Latin adjective suffix "-alis," meaning "relating to," turns the noun stem into a description of anything connected with teeth. In English, the word appears as a noun in the sense of a dental consonant, a speech sound made by touching the tongue to the teeth. That usage follows the phonetic sense of the adjective, but the word is not really a common everyday noun, and its main life in English is as "dental." Its shape also makes it a good example of how Latin adjectives were often borrowed directly into scientific and technical vocabulary, sometimes with the original Latin ending kept intact.

Synonyms: foxglove, digitalis, plant