noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbɹʌksɪz(ə)m/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbɹʊk-/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈbɹʌksɪzəm/
1
noun
Meaning 1
The habit or practice of grinding the teeth, as while sleeping, or due to stress or certain drugs.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Topics: dentistry, medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bruxation
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
involuntarily or unconsciously clenching or grinding the teeth, typically during sleep
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: action
History
Etymology
From Ancient Greek βρυχή (brukhḗ, “grinding of teeth”) + English -ism (suffix forming nouns indicating a tendency of action, behaviour, condition, or state). The word βρυχή is derived from Ancient Greek βρύκω (brúkō, “bite, chew; devour, gobble; grind one's teeth, gnash”).
Across languages
Translations
26 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
صرير الأسنان
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Catalan:
bruxisme
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Chinese Cantonese:
磨牙
(mo4 ngaa4)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Chinese Mandarin:
磨牙
(móyá)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Czech:
bruxismus
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Dutch:
bruxisme
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Finnish:
hampaiden narskuttelu
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
French:
bruxisme
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
German:
Bruxismus
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Greek:
βρυγμός
(vrygmós)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Hebrew:
חריקת שיניים
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Icelandic:
tannagnístran
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Indonesian:
bruksisme
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Inuktitut:
ᓃᖁᓗᒃᑐᖅ
(niiqoloktoq)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Italian:
bruxismo
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Japanese:
ブラキシズム
(burakishizumu)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Kazakh:
бруксизм
(bruksizm)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Korean:
이 갈이
(i gari)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Lithuanian:
bruksizmas
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Persian:
دندانقروچه
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Polish:
bruksizm
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Portuguese:
bruxismo
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Russian:
бруксизм
(bruksizm)
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Spanish:
bruxismo
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Swedish:
bruxism
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
Swedish:
tandgnissling
— habit or practice of grinding the teeth
