tooth powder
1
3.3
- noun
- /tuːθ ˈpaʊdər/
- Archaic
:
polvo de dientes
- After a long hike, I quickly used some tooth powder to freshen my breath.
Examples
-
We use Uncle Harry's tooth powder.
Blog text (16) -
Brush my teeth with homemade tooth powder.
Blog text (7) -
The transdisciplinary team decides to implement an adaptation: tooth powder in an open container, rather than systematically teaching the student to squeeze the toothpaste tube.
Academic text (1998) -
He may be able to learn the performance and conceptual skills for this subtask, and once having mastered them, the substitution of tooth powder would not be necessary.
Academic text (1998) -
I prefer using tooth powder instead of toothpaste because it feels more natural.
-
He bought a new brand of tooth powder to help keep his teeth clean.
Synonyms
100
1.0
A thick soft paste you put on a toothbrush to clean teeth
1
9.2
A paste or powder used to clean the teeth
A powder used to clean teeth instead of toothpaste
How Wet
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a powdered substance used to clean teeth' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'tooth' (relating to teeth) with 'powder' (a fine dry substance). This noun+noun compounding is a transparent, productive pattern in English (and parallels exist in many other languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Tooth powder comes from the simple idea of a fine powder used on the tooth. People long ago rubbed dry powders on their teeth to clean them, so the name literally means 'powder for teeth' and today it refers to a powdered cleaner used instead of toothpaste.