teeth

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.

“Teeth” is pronounced TEETH (/ˈtiθ/ in IPA).

Here is “teeth” used in a sentence: “She brushes her teeth twice a day.”

“Teeth” is a noun.

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.

“Teeth” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“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.

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.

'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.

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.