underbite

noun

un·​der·​bite ˈən-dər-ˌbīt How to pronounce underbite (audio)
plural underbites
: malocclusion in which the lower jaw and front teeth project beyond the upper front teeth : prognathism involving the lower jaw
Three years ago, Jack, a small Chihuahua mix with an endearing underbite and a lust for attention, was dropped off at the Haven Animal Care Shelter.—Natalie Gross
… had braces to straighten his own teeth and surgery to correct a severe underbite, … .—Jean P. Fisher
compare overbite

Examples of underbite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the 93% of children and adolescents with a crossbite, underbite, or overbite, braces may be just the fix. — Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 4 Feb. 2026 And that front fascia’s body kit has all the beauty of an English bulldog’s slobbery underbite, complete with wonky teeth. — Sean Evans, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2025 Unlike a typical golden, her dog sports an underbite and scrunched nose, giving her a uniquely charming expression. — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Nov. 2025 Pippa is tricolor, with long ears, a distant gaze, and an underbite that, Peacock mentioned, Piper didn’t have. — Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for underbite

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underbite was in 1887

Rhymes for underbite

See All Rhymes for underbite

Browse Nearby Words

underbit
underbite
underblow
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Underbite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underbite. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

underbite

noun
un·​der·​bite ˈən-dər-ˌbīt How to pronounce underbite (audio)
: malocclusion in which the lower jaw and front teeth project beyond the upper front teeth : prognathism involving the lower jaw
… had braces to straighten his own teeth and surgery to correct a severe underbite, as well as whitening.—Jean P. Fisher
compare overbite
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All