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Glite Dictionary
carnassial tooth

carnassial tooth

9.7
A large sharp tooth in meat-eating mammals for cutting meat from bone
  • noun
  • /kɑrˈnæs.i.əl tuθ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : diente carnoso
  • The lion's carnassial teeth are perfectly adapted for shearing meat from bone.

Examples

  • Veterinarians often check the carnassial tooth in dogs for signs of infection.

  • Dogs have strong carnassial teeth for tearing meat.

  • Fossil evidence shows that the carnassial tooth was present in many ancient carnivorous species.

  • The lion's carnassial tooth is essential for its diet.

  • The lion's carnassial tooth allows it to efficiently cut through flesh during hunts.

  • Veterinarians examine the carnassial tooth in pets to ensure their dental health.

  • Carnivorous mammals rely on their carnassial teeth to process their meat-based diet.

Surface Forms

carnassial tooth singular
carnassial teeth plural

Morphology

carnassial + tooth

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: a 'tooth' that is 'carnassial' (i.e., adapted for cutting flesh). Given knowledge of both constituents, the overall meaning — a tooth used for cutting flesh in carnivores — is directly derivable; the term is technical but fully compositional.

Etymology

Carnassial tooth comes from a word for 'meat' and names a special sharp tooth in meat-eating animals. An upper and a lower carnassial meet and pass like 'scissors' to slice flesh, so the phrase points to the teeth used for cutting meat.