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Glite Dictionary
oral fissure

oral fissure

7.2
The opening of the mouth that lets you eat and speak
  • noun
  • /ˈɔrəl ˈfɪʃər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fisura oral
  • The dentist examined the oral fissure for signs of infection or abnormality.

Examples

  • The doctor explained how an injury to the oral fissure could affect both eating and speaking.

  • In some developmental disorders, the oral fissure may be abnormally shaped or positioned.

  • During surgery, care must be taken not to damage the tissues around the oral fissure.

  • The oral fissure is essential for speech.

  • Can you see the oral fissure in this diagram?

  • The oral fissure is the part of the face where food enters and sounds are produced.

  • At the check-up, the hygienist took a close look at the oral fissure to ensure it was healthy.

Synonyms

mouth
vsoral fissure
∞ 1.0

An opening in the face where food and sounds go

is a more technical focus on the actual opening itself
hole
vsoral fissure
  • Vulgar
80 8.9

An impolite word for the mouth used when angry

is the neutral anatomical label rather than slang or insult
oral cavity
vsoral fissure
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A space inside your mouth where you put food and make speech sounds

is the opening itself rather than the internal space
rima oris
vsoral fissure
  • Specialized
9.9

The opening of the mouth where food goes in and sounds come out

is the general term for that same opening outside anatomy

Surface Forms

oral fissure singular
oral fissures plural

Morphology

oral + fissure

The meaning 'opening of the mouth' is directly and transparently derived from 'oral' (pertaining to the mouth) modifying 'fissure' (a long narrow slit), following a regular adjective+noun compositional pattern. This composition is predictable and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Oral fissure names the opening of the mouth; oral means 'mouth' and fissure means a 'split' or 'gap'. So it refers to the 'opening' where food goes in and where 'sounds' come out.