Standard Lemma guide

heterodont

adj · noun · 5 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: /ˈhɛtəɹəʊdɒnt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈhɛtɹəʊdɒnt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈhɛtəɹəˌdɑnt/
  • General-American: /ˈhɛtɹə-/
  • General-American: [-ɾəɹə-]
  • General-American: [-ɾɹə-]

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having teeth of different types (like most mammals).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology, zootomy

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: homodont

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of bivalves or their hinge teeth: having two to three wedge-shaped cardinal teeth set in the centre near the umbones, generally also with elongated lateral teeth on the anterior and posterior margins.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: biology, malacology, natural-sciences

Examples

  • The heterodont arrangement is characteristic of the Venus clams and cockles.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A heterodont animal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A heterodont animal.

A heterodont bivalve.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, malacology, natural-sciences, zoology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A snake of the genus Heterodon which is native to North America.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From hetero- (prefix meaning ‘different’) + -odont (suffix meaning ‘tooth; toothed’). Hetero- is derived from Ancient Greek ἕτερος (héteros, “one or the other of two; different”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“together; one”); while -odont is from Ancient Greek ὀδούς (odoús, “tooth; tusk”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h3ed- (“to bite”) + *-ónts (suffix forming nouns denoting body parts). By surface analysis, hetero- + -odont.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: hétérodont — having teeth of different types
  • Irish: heatródóntach — having teeth of different types
  • Irish: heitridhéadach — having teeth of different types
  • Italian: eterodonte — having teeth of different types
  • Romanian: heterodont — having teeth of different types
  • Spanish: heterodonto — having teeth of different types
  • Irish: heatródóntach — heterodont animal
  • Irish: heitridhéadach — heterodont animal
  • Italian: eterodonte — heterodont animal
  • Romanian: heterodont — heterodont animal