noun
Common
teeth
TEETH
Teeth (noun) means plural of tooth — the hard structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing. Example: “She brushes her teeth twice a day.”
noun
1
Plural of tooth — the hard structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing.
"She brushes her teeth twice a day."
"The dentist told him to floss between his teeth every evening."
"The baby is crying because her first teeth are coming through."
2
Real power or force behind a rule, threat, or law.
"The new regulation has no teeth without proper enforcement."
"The agreement looked impressive on paper, but it had no real teeth."
"Critics say the new rules need teeth if companies are going to follow them."
How to use teeth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe plural of tooth; figuratively, the real power behind a law or threat.
Common pairings
give something teeth
sink your teeth into
grit your teeth
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- teeths
- Past tense
- teethed
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She brushes her _____ twice a day.
Etymology
From Old English teth, the plural of tooth, tracing back to Proto-Germanic and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “teeth” mean?
The word “teeth” means plural of tooth — the hard structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing. In plain terms, the plural of tooth; figuratively, the real power behind a law or threat.
How do you pronounce “teeth”?
“Teeth” is pronounced TEETH (/ˈtiθ/ in IPA).
How do you use “teeth” in a sentence?
Here is “teeth” used in a sentence: “She brushes her teeth twice a day.”
What part of speech is “teeth”?
“Teeth” is a noun.
Where does the word “teeth” come from?
The word “teeth” comes from Old English. From Old English teth, the plural of tooth, tracing back to Proto-Germanic and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots.
Is “teeth” a common word?
“Teeth” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “teeth” have?
“Teeth” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: plural of tooth — the hard structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing.
What is the singular of teeth?
The singular is 'tooth.' 'Teeth' is its irregular plural, so you say one tooth but two teeth. English keeps a small group of these older plurals that change the vowel inside the word instead of adding -s, alongside familiar pairs like foot/feet and goose/geese.
Why is the plural of tooth 'teeth' and not 'tooths'?
'Teeth' survives from an old Germanic pattern where the plural was formed by changing the vowel inside the word rather than adding an ending. Linguists call these mutated plurals. The same history gives us foot/feet, man/men, and mouse/mice, which is why 'tooths' sounds wrong to native speakers.
What are the different types of teeth?
Adult humans usually have four kinds. Incisors, at the front, cut food; canines, the pointed teeth beside them, tear it; and premolars and molars, toward the back, crush and grind. Together a full adult set numbers thirty-two, each tooth shaped for its particular job in biting and chewing.
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