upper jaw
2
2.8
- noun
:
maxilar
- The doctor examined the patient's upper jaw to check for any dental issues.
- tooth in the upper jaw
Examples
-
In basilosaurids and dorudontids, the nasal opening is between the canine and the first premolar (the fifth tooth of the upper jaw).
Academic text (2001) -
His parents obviously hadn't believed that boys needed their teeth straightened, so his upper jaw looked like it had too many teeth competing for too little room.
Fiction book (1991) -
So this right here is your upper jaw up here.
-
Device for correction of the form of the upper jaw
Blog text (1) -
And they were saying it's interesting Because this porpoise's upper jaw Sticks out a lot further than his lower jaw.
-
Her prominent upper jaw formed a kind of muzzle; because of it, she spoke with a soft lisp.
Fiction book (1993) -
The six largest fangs hanging down from its upper jaw were longer and thicker than Kroosew's leg.
Fiction book (1999) -
The nasal opening of Protocetus is large and opens over the canine, the fourth tooth of the upper jaw.
Academic text (2001) -
Normally, the right tusk remains embedded in the upper jaw, but occasionally it is expressed with the left tusk as a double-tusked narwhal.
Blog text (8) -
The upper sections of the mandibular arch form the upper jaw (palatoquadrate), and the lower sections form Meckel's cartilage, which gives rise to the lower jaw.
Academic text (2003)
Synonyms
3
8.6
The upper jaw that holds the top teeth
1
4.2
The bone at the top of the mouth that holds the upper teeth and joins the skull
1
9.5
The bone of the upper jaw that holds the upper teeth
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the upper part of the jaw...' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'upper' (situated toward the top) with 'jaw' (the bony mouth structure). This simple modifier + noun composition is cross-linguistically common and easily inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.
Etymology
Upper jaw is the compound name for the top part of the mouth: upper means 'top' and jaw is the bone that holds the teeth. So, upper jaw today simply means the top jawbone that holds the upper teeth and is attached to the head.