Toothbrush

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtuːθ.bɹʌʃ/

Definitions

1. A small handheld instrument with bristles used for cleaning the surfaces of teeth and gums
2. A dental cleaning tool consisting of a handle and a cluster of bristles that serves the purpose of removing debris and plaque from teeth and promoting gum health
3. A portable device featuring a handle and densely packed bristles, which is utilized for the maintenance of oral hygiene by cleaning teeth and gums effectively

Etymology: Toothbrush is a plain compound: "tooth" joined to "brush," with the two parts kept side by side in the same way across the Germanic languages. German "Zahnbürste," Dutch "tandenborstel," and Swedish "tandborste" all follow the same pattern, each pairing a word for tooth with a word for brush. The English form is a straightforward combination of two Old English-derived words, so the story lies more in the shared pattern than in any single surprise. The second part, "brush," comes from the Old French "broce," meaning a bundle of twigs or bristles, and the sense of a tool with bristles developed from there. Since the "tooth" element is ancient Germanic vocabulary, the word as a whole reflects a very old, practical habit of naming objects by what they do and what they are made of.

Synonyms: dental brush