molar

Definition

Molar teeth are the largest and strongest teeth in the mouth. They are used for grinding food. Molar teeth have a flat surface with four or five cusps, which are bumps on the chewing surface.

Humans have 12 molars, six in each jaw. The first molars come in around the age of 6, and the second molars come in around the age of 12. The third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, can come in anywhere from the late teens to the early twenties.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth don't come in properly and can cause problems. In these cases, they may need to be removed.

How can the word be used?

The dentist extracted the patient's molar.

Different forms of the word

The word "molar" can be used as a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a tooth with a large, flat surface for grinding food. As an adjective, it means relating to or having to do with molars.

Etymology

The word "molar" comes from the Latin word "mola", which means "millstone". The Latin word "mola" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "mel-", which means "to grind".

The word "molar" was first used in English in the 14th century to describe a tooth with a large, flat surface for grinding food. The word was originally used to compare the teeth to millstones, which are used to grind grain.

Question

What is a Molar and what are they used for?