Dictionary formdens, dentis(masculine)
Translation
tooth; tusk, fang
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Grammar
Cases
| Case | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativethe subject | dens | dentes |
| Vocativecalling someone: O ... | dens | dentes |
| Accusativethe direct object; after ad, in (into), per | dentem | dentes |
| Genitiveof | dentis | dentium |
| Dativeto, for | denti | dentibus |
| Ablativeby, with, from; after a, ab, cum, de, e, ex, in (in), sine | dente | dentibus |
Examples
.
His teeth were white.
vulneratus .
He was wounded by a lion's tooth.
.
He was holding the bread in his teeth.
.
The dog shows its teeth.
.
The old man was living without teeth.
Dens, dentis, m., third declension and an i-stem, so the genitive plural is dentium and never dentum. Masculine, despite a nominative that looks as though it ought to be feminine; the gender has to be learned rather than guessed.
It names anything tooth-shaped as readily as it names a tooth: the fluke of an anchor, the tine of a rake, the cutting edge of a saw or a plough. Dens leonis, "lion's tooth", is the dandelion, named for its jagged leaves and carried into English through French dent-de-lion. The Latin word and English tooth descend from the same ancient root by the regular consonant shift, so they are cousins rather than a borrowing. English also took dental, dentist, indent and trident.
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dens: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Latin word "dens" (tooth; tusk, fang): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is taught in chapter 9, lesson 2: dens, legatus, consto and 7 more words.