carnassial

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“
In the lower jaw the lowermost incisor is very large, and projects almost horizontally forwards, and it is followed by three small teeth now acknowledged to be premolars, with another large premolar, which is of the nature of a carnassial or cutting tooth acting on the one in the upper jaw.

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. adjective Adapted for tearing apart flesh: carnassial teeth.
  2. noun A tooth adapted for tearing apart flesh, especially one of the last upper premolar or first lower molar teeth in carnivorous mammals.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (2)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

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Examples (15)

  • In the lower jaw the lowermost incisor is very large, and projects almost horizontally forwards, and it is followed by three small teeth now acknowledged to be premolars, with another large premolar, which is of the nature of a carnassial or cutting tooth acting on the one in the upper jaw. —  Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon
  • The tail is longer, though not so long as the head and body, and it is bushy; the fur is fine and in general highly prized; the dentition differs from the typical Mustela in having four more teeth and an additional false molar on either side in each jaw; and the inner side of the carnassial or flesh tooth has a tubercle which is not present in the weasels; head elongate; feet very hairy; space between the pads hairy, often covering them from sight, except in the case of Martes flavigula_, of which the soles are nude NO. —  Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon
  • The incisors are somewhat larger than, but the canines and premolars approximate to, those of the felines; the crown of the incisors is cuspidate, and the premolars increase gradually in size, with the exception of the fourth in the upper jaw, the carnassial, which is treble the size of the one next to it But it is in the molars that we find the similarity to the semi-herbivorous bears. —  Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon
  • From the carnassial tooth you can infer the reduced clavicle, and so on. —  Form and Function A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology
  • The second is strong and essentially carnassial; it is compressed laterally and obliquely placed. —  Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. From French carnassier, carnivorous, from Provençal, from carnasso, meat in abundance, from carn, flesh, from Latin carō, carn-; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French carnassière, the sectorial tooth (orig. feminine (sc. dent, tooth) of carnassier, carnivorous: see carnassier), + -al.
 

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/kɑrˈnæsiəl/
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