denti-
combining form of L. dens, dent-em, tooth, dent-ēs teeth. ˈdentifactor, a machine for making artificial teeth. dentiˈlabial a., having relation to both teeth and lips. dentiˈlingual a., of or formed by teeth and tongue; also used as n. (sc. consonant, sound, etc.). † denˈtiloquent a., speaking through the teeth (Blount, 1656); so † denˈtiloquist, ‘one that speaks through the teeth’; † denˈtiloquy, ‘the act or habit of speaking through the teeth’ (Ash). † dentiˈmolary a., belonging to the molar teeth or grinders. denˈtiparous a., producing teeth. ˈdentiphone, an instrument for conveying sound to the inner ear through the teeth, an audiphone.
| 1875 Whitney Life Lang. iv. 64 A dentilabial instead of a purely labial sound. Ibid. 65 Real dentilinguals produced between the tongue and teeth. 1651 Biggs New Disp. ¶284 Dentimolary operations. 1849–52 Todd Cycl. Anat. IV. 897/1 The vascular dentiparous membrane which lines the alveolar cavities. |