Where does “tooth” come from?
Tooth comes from Middle English tooth, Old English tōþ, Proto-Germanic tanþs, and Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts, ultimately from the root h₁ed- meaning to eat.
tooth (English): A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth...
Definitions
- A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth...
Ancestry of “tooth”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | toth | Alternative form of tothe |
| 2 | Old English | tōþ | tooth |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | tanþs | tooth |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃dónts | tooth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ed- | to eat |
Words derived from “tooth”