carnassial

carnassial
adjective Etymology: French carnassier carnivorous, ultimately from Latin carn-, caro Date: circa 1852 of, relating to, or being a tooth of a carnivore often larger and longer than adjacent teeth and adapted for cutting rather than tearingcarnassial noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Carnassial — Car*nas si*al, a. [Cf. F. carnassier carnivorous, and L. caro, carnis, flesh.] (Anat.) Adapted to eating flesh. n. A carnassial tooth; especially, the last premolar in many carnivores. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • carnassial — [kär nas′ē əl] adj. [< Fr carnassier, carnivorous < Prov carnasa, bad flesh (+ pejorative acea) < carn, flesh < L caro: see CARNAGE] designating or of teeth of a flesh eating animal specialized for slicing or shearing rather than… …   English World dictionary

  • Carnassial — Carnassials are large teeth found in many carnivorous mammals, used for shearing flesh and bone in a scissor or shear like way. In the Carnivora, the carnassials are the modified last upper premolar and the first lower molar, but in the… …   Wikipedia

  • carnassial — /kahr nas ee euhl/, Zool. adj. 1. (of teeth) adapted for shearing flesh. n. 2. a carnassial tooth, esp. the last upper premolar or the first lower molar tooth of certain carnivores. [1840 50; < F carnassi(er) flesh eating ( < Pr, equiv. to… …   Universalium

  • carnassial — Adapted for shearing flesh; denoting those teeth designed to cut flesh. [Fr. carnassier, carnivorous, fr. L. caro, flesh] * * * car·nas·si·al (kahr nasґe əl) 1. adapted for shearing and tearing. 2. carnassial tooth …   Medical dictionary

  • carnassial — car•nas•si•al [[t]kɑrˈnæs i əl[/t]] adj. 1) zool. (of teeth) adapted for shearing flesh 2) zool. a carnassial tooth, esp. the last upper premolar or the first lower molar tooth of carnivores • Etymology: 1840–50; < F carnassi(er) flesh eating… …   From formal English to slang

  • carnassial — /kaˈnæsiəl/ (say kah naseeuhl) adjective 1. (of teeth) adapted for shearing flesh, as certain of the upper and lower cheek teeth of cats, dogs, etc. –noun 2. a carnassial tooth, especially the last upper premolar or the first lower molar tooth of …  

  • carnassial — noun One of the teeth used by a carnivore for shearing flesh, being the last upper premolar and the first lower molar …   Wiktionary

  • carnassial — adj. (Zoology) suitable for tearing meat (of teeth) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • carnassial — [kα: nasɪəl] adjective Zoology denoting the large upper premolar and lower molar teeth of a carnivore, adapted for shearing flesh. Origin C19: from Fr. carnassier carnivorous , based on L. caro, carn flesh …   English new terms dictionary

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