Gomphodont

/ɡɒmfoʊˈdɑːnt/ adjective

Definition

Having teeth that are anchored in sockets by a special articulation, rather than being fused or loosely attached.

Etymology

From Greek gomph- (bolt or nail) plus -dont (tooth), literally 'bolted teeth.' Describes the ancient method of tooth attachment in various organisms.

Kelly Says

Gomphodont teeth are an evolutionary goldmine for paleontologists—they show us exactly how prehistoric creatures gripped their food, revealing predator-prey relationships from millions of years ago.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.