▪ I. cuspidate, a.
(ˈkʌspɪdət)
[ad. mod.L. cuspidāt-us, f. cuspid-em cusp. In mod.F. cuspidé.]
Having a cusp or sharp point. spec. a. Bot. Of leaves: Ending in a rigid point or spine. b. Applied to the canine teeth, each of which ends in a single point; a name first given by J. Hunter.
| 1692 tr. Blancard's Phys. Dict. (1693) 157/1 Parasentesis..a Perforation of the Chest and Abdomen through a cuspidate Channel. [1771 J. Hunter Nat. Hist. Teeth Wks. 1835 II. 21, I choose to divide them [teeth] into the four following classes viz. Incisores, commonly called fore teeth; Cuspidati, vulgarly called canine; Bicuspides, or the first two grinders; and Molares, or the last three teeth.] 1835 Lindley Introd. Bot. (1848) II. 356 Cuspidate, tapering gradually to a rigid point. It is also used sometimes to express abruptly acuminate. 1848 Dana Zooph. 485 Long cuspidate branches. 1882 Syd. Soc. Lex., Cuspidate teeth, the canine teeth, so called from their shape. |
▪ II. † cuspidate, v. Obs.—0
[f. L. cuspidāre to point: see -ate3.]
trans. To sharpen to a point.
| 1623 Cockeram, Cuspedate, to sharpen. 1656 in Blount Glossogr. 1721 in Bailey. |