Toothpowder

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A fine abrasive powder applied to the teeth with a brush or cloth to clean and polish the surfaces
2. A powdered substance used as a dentifrice to remove debris and stains from teeth and freshen the breath
3. A dry cosmetic powder rubbed onto teeth to cleanse them and maintain oral hygiene

Etymology: "Toothpowder" is simply the closed-up spelling of "tooth powder," a compound of two plain English words: "tooth," from Old English "tōth," and "powder," borrowed into English from Old French "poudre," itself from Latin "pulvis," meaning dust. The combination describes exactly what it sounds like: a fine dry substance applied to the teeth for cleaning, in contrast to the paste that later replaced it for most people. The spelling with no space or hyphen is an alternative form, and both versions appear in print. Writers and dictionaries have treated the two as interchangeable, so the choice mostly reflects house style rather than any difference in meaning or history.

Synonyms: dentifrice