Etymology Map
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Tooth

3 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means one of the hard white structures in the mouth used for biting

Where does the word "tooth" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic tanþs, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
tanþs
Proto-Germanic · ancient
"tooth"
cognate with Latin 'dēns, dentis', as in 'dentist', perhaps meaning 'the eating one'
2
Stage 2 of 3
tōþ
Old English · 700s-1000s
"tooth"
the 'n' dropped out, as in 'goose'; the plural 'tēþ' gave 'teeth'
3
Stage 3 of 3
tooth
English · 1500s
"tooth"
'long in the tooth', old, refers to horses' gums receding with age
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Read the full story

Tooth’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: tanþs meant “tooth.” Cognate with Latin 'dēns, dentis', as in 'dentist', perhaps meaning 'the eating one'. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as tōþ. The 'n' dropped out, as in 'goose'; the plural 'tēþ' gave 'teeth'. It reached English by 1500s as tooth. 'long in the tooth', old, refers to horses' gums receding with age. Today, tooth means one of the hard white structures in the mouth used for biting.