heterodontism
|het-er-o-don-tism|
🇺🇸
/ˌhɛtərəˈdɑntɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɛtərəˈdɒntɪzəm/
different types of teeth
Etymology
'heterodontism' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'heterodontos', where 'hetero-' meant 'different' and 'odont-' meant 'tooth'.
'heterodontism' changed from the Greek word 'heterodontos' and passed through New Latin/modern scientific formation (e.g. 'heterodontia') before becoming the English term 'heterodontism'.
Initially, it meant 'having different teeth', and over time this basic meaning has been retained in scientific and anatomical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the condition in vertebrates of having teeth of different shapes and functions (e.g., incisors, canines, premolars, molars).
Heterodontism is common in mammals, allowing specialized roles for different tooth types.
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Noun 2
the evolutionary condition or trend toward having a differentiated dentition in a lineage.
Paleontologists study heterodontism to understand dietary adaptations in fossil lineages.
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Last updated: 2025/12/06 16:41