dental

1 of 2

adjective

den·​tal ˈden-tᵊl How to pronounce dental (audio)
1
: of or relating to the teeth or dentistry
2
: articulated with the tip or blade of the tongue against or near the upper front teeth
dentally
ˈden-tᵊl-ē How to pronounce dental (audio)
adverb

dental

2 of 2

noun

: a dental consonant

Examples of dental in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
During the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs, Lekkerimäki had a dental operation that led to an infection and missed weeks of action. — Thomas Drance, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 The Rapha Clinic provides medical and dental care to community members caught in the gap between high healthcare costs and strict income limits. — La'tasha Givens, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Soon model and actor Decker, who grew up in nearby Matthews, warmed at the chance to rehabilitate a proper Carolina home with details like dental crown molding and classic brick. — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2026 That March, a seventy-year-old patient from a wealthy Cypriot family, Evie Lanitis, arrived at BioMed, complaining of a host of minor maladies, including bursitis in her toes, dental pain, and digestive issues. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dental

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin dentalis, from dent-, dens

First Known Use

Adjective

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dental was in 1594

Phrases Containing dental

Rhymes for dental

See All Rhymes for dental

Browse Nearby Words

Dent
dental
dentale
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dental. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dental

adjective
den·​tal
ˈdent-ᵊl
: of or relating to the teeth or dentistry
Etymology

Adjective

from Latin dentalis "relating to the teeth," from dent-, dens "tooth" — related to dandelion, indent, trident

Medical Definition

dental

adjective
den·​tal ˈdent-ᵊl How to pronounce dental (audio)
1
: relating to, specializing in, or used in dentistry
dental surgery
dental students
2
: relating to or used on the teeth
dental paste
dentally
-ē How to pronounce dental (audio)
adverb
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