toothed
toothed — adjective
1. having natural teeth or tooth-like projections — used for animals, fossils, or b
having natural teeth or tooth-like projections — used for animals, fossils, or body parts in scientific descriptions.
Fossil records show that this ancient fish had a well‑toothed jaw.
specialist register: biological/paleontological context
Dr. Femi examined the toothed beak of the extinct bird under a microscope.
X‑ray images revealed a toothed structure inside the fossilised jawbone.
Unlike modern baleen whales, Basilosaurus was a toothed predator that hunted fish.
- toothless
lacking teeth entirely
文法句型
toothed + noun
用法筆記
This sense appears mainly in technical or scientific writing (biology, palaeontology, anatomy). Outside specialist contexts, the compound-pattern sense (sense 2) is far more common in everyday English.
常見錯誤
2. combined with a describing word to show that a person, animal, or object has tee
combined with a describing word to show that a person, animal, or object has teeth of a specific appearance, arrangement, or function.
The old man's gap‑toothed smile made him look friendly and approachable.
compound: gap‑toothed + smile (describing spaces between teeth)
A fine‑toothed comb is useful for removing lice and nits from children's hair.
set phrase: fine‑toothed comb — a comb with closely spaced teeth
The buck‑toothed teenager felt self‑conscious about his prominent front teeth.
A razor‑toothed creature appeared in the science‑fiction film about deep‑sea monsters.
Shirin's sharp‑toothed grin gave her a slightly mischievous look that her friends found endearing.
文法句型
modifier + toothed (e.g. buck‑toothed, gap‑toothed, fine‑toothed, sharp‑toothed)
用法筆記
Almost always appears as the second part of a compound adjective. The first part describes the shape (gap‑toothed, buck‑toothed), the size (fine‑toothed, small‑toothed), or a comparison (razor‑toothed, needle‑toothed, knife‑toothed). Do not use toothed alone to describe a person's dental appearance — use a compound instead.