Standard Lemma guide

carnassial

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

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  • /kəˈnɑːsɪəl/

1

noun

Meaning 1

One of the teeth used by a carnivore for shearing flesh, being the last upper premolar and the first lower molar.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

(of a tooth) adapted for shearing flesh

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the carnassial teeth of carnivores

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From French carnass(ier) (“carnivorous”) + -ial, from Occitan carnassa, from carn + -assa (feminine form of Occitan -às), from Latin carn- + -āceus.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Portuguese: dente carniceiro — flesh shearing tooth of a carnivore
  • Russian: хищный зуб (xiščnyj) — flesh shearing tooth of a carnivore
  • Spanish: muela carnicera — flesh shearing tooth of a carnivore