incisor
gb/ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/ us/ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
technical
C1
entity
1
front cutting tooth
a front tooth used for biting
Usage pattern:
an/the [incisor]; [upper/lower] incisors
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse incisor with canine (pointed tooth) or molar (back tooth for chewing).
Synonyms
front tooth (More general; not all front teeth are described with dental precision.)
|
cutting tooth (Descriptive and less common; used mainly in explanations.)
Antonyms
molar (A back tooth used mainly for grinding food, not cutting.)
|
canine (A pointed tooth used for tearing, not the flat cutting type.)
Collocations
front incisor
|upper incisor
|lower incisor
|central incisor
|lateral incisor
|permanent incisor
|baby incisor
|chipped incisor
|cracked incisor
|missing incisor
Themes
health
|medicine
|dentistry
|body
Examples
- He chipped an incisor when he fell off his bike.
- The dentist examined her upper incisors for signs of decay.
- Rabbits’ incisors keep growing and need to be worn down.
Learner examples
- I broke my incisor.
- Incisors are the front teeth.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incisor
IPA
GB/ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
US/ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
Syllables & stress
in - cisor (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cisor)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: incisor
- Plural: incisors
Word family
Expressions
central incisor
1/sˈɛntɹəl ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
front middle incisor tooth
one of the two very front teeth
Examples
- The dentist repaired a small chip on his upper central incisor.
- The X-ray showed damage around the root of a central incisor.
lateral incisor
1/lˈætɚəl ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
incisor next to middle tooth
the front tooth next to the middle one
Examples
- Her upper lateral incisor was slightly smaller than the others.
- The orthodontist created space for a missing lateral incisor.
lower incisor
1/lˈoʊɚ ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
incisor in lower jaw
a front tooth in the bottom jaw
Examples
- The dentist bonded a retainer behind his lower incisors.
- A small crack appeared in her lower incisor.
upper incisor
1/ˈʌpɚ ɪnsˈaɪzɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
incisor in upper jaw
a front tooth in the top jaw
Examples
- He knocked out an upper incisor in a soccer match.
- The filling was placed on her upper incisor.