heterodontous
|het-er-o-don-tous|
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/ˌhɛtərəˈdɑntəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌhɛtərəˈdɒntəs/
different kinds of teeth
Etymology
'heterodontous' originates from Greek via New Latin, specifically from Greek 'heteros' and 'odous/odont-', where 'heteros' meant 'other, different' and 'odous/odont-' meant 'tooth'.
'heterodontous' developed through New Latin/Modern scientific usage from Greek elements: Greek 'heteros' + 'odont-' formed New Latin scientific terms such as 'heterodontus', which entered English as 'heterodont' and later as the adjective 'heterodontous'.
Initially it meant 'different-toothed' (literally 'having other/different teeth'); over time it has remained specialized but consistently retained the meaning 'having more than one kind of tooth'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(of 'heterodonty') The condition or state of being heterodontous; presence of different types of teeth within the same mouth.
The heterodonty of early mammals is important for understanding their diets.
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Noun 2
(of 'heterodontousness') An abstract noun referring to the quality or degree of being heterodontous.
Researchers measured the heterodontousness of several fossil specimens to infer feeding behavior.
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Adjective 1
having teeth of more than one morphological type (e.g., incisors, canines, molars); different-toothed.
Many mammals are heterodontous, with incisors, canines, premolars, and molars adapted for different functions.
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Last updated: 2025/12/06 17:36