heterognathic
|he-te-ro-gnath-ic|
/ˌhɛtərəˈnæθɪk/
different jaws
Etymology
'heterognathic' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'hetero-' and 'gnathos', where 'hetero-' meant 'different' and 'gnathos' meant 'jaw'.
'heterognathic' was formed in New Latin/modern scientific English from the Greek elements 'hetero-' + 'gnathos' and entered English usage as a technical adjective in zoological and anatomical contexts.
Initially it meant 'different jaw(s)' in a literal anatomical sense, and over time this core anatomical meaning has been retained in modern scientific usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having dissimilar or differently formed jaws; in zoology, describing organisms whose upper and lower jaws differ in structure or form.
Many predatory fishes are heterognathic, with an upper jaw specialized for grasping and a lower jaw adapted for crushing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/07 10:28