English
tooth
Tooth comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- ‘to smell’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ed-‘to smell’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃dóntsreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*tanþsreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*tanþreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150tōþ
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500toth
- Englishearliest quotation 1678tooth
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃ed-‘to smell’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃dóntsreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*tanþsreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*tanþreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150tōþ
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500toth
- Englishearliest quotation 1678tooth
Earliest quotation: 1678, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises: or the Doctrine of Handy-works: “Whereas if the Header of one side of the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- ‘to smell’
odor, annoy, ozone, trident, egregious, odious, denture, redolent, dentate, dentin, osmium, odium, 65 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃dónts
dental, dent, zinc, dens, dancy, 49 more
through Proto-Germanic *tanþs
Today it means
noun A hard, calcareous structure present in the mouth of many vertebrate animals, generally used for biting and chewing food.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- / tooth