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Glite Dictionary
hypoconid

hypoconid

9.9
A back outer bump on a lower molar tooth in mammals
  • noun
  • Specialized
: hipoconido
  • To identify the species, we examined the shape of the hypoconid on the molars.

Examples

  • Only one cusp is present on the talonid (hypoconid) of these archaic cetaceans.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The hypoconid is located at the back of the lower molar in many mammals, providing essential grinding surfaces.

  • The dentist explained that the hypoconid plays a crucial role in the chewing process of herbivorous animals.

Surface Forms

hypoconid singular
hypoconids plural

Morphology

hypoconid = conid (opaque) = hypo + con + id

Although hypo- is a recognizable Greek-derived prefix, the base is a specialized dental term, so the meaning is not predictable for ordinary learners.

Etymology

The word hypoconid comes from the parts hypo- meaning 'under' and -conid from a word for 'cone' or 'point', like the English word 'cone'. So a hypoconid is the 'under cone' or lower back point on a lower molar tooth, which explains the name and its place on the tooth.