Standard Lemma guide

interdental

adj · noun · 4 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.

  • rhymes with -ɛntəl

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pertaining to the space between the teeth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • It is recommended to use an interdental brush, or dental floss, to clean between the teeth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A speech sound pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A small toothbrush for cleaning in between adjacent teeth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: dentistry, medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1én Proto-Indo-European *h1entér Proto-Italic *n̥ter Latin inter Latin inter-bor. English inter- Middle French dentalbor. Proto-Indo-European *h3ed- Proto-Indo-European *-ónts Proto-Indo-European *h3dónts Proto-Italic *dents Latin dēns Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin dentālisbor. English dental English interdental From inter- + dental.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: միջատամնային (miǰatamnayin) — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Catalan: interdental — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Czech: mezizubní — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Dutch: interdentaal — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Finnish: hammasväli- — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Finnish: hampaiden välinen — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • French: interdentaire — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • German: interdental — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Greek: μεσοδόντιος (mesodóntios) — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Italian: interdentale — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Polish: międzyzębowy — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Russian: межзу́бный (mežzúbnyj) — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Slovak: medzizubný — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Spanish: interdental — pertaining to the space between the teeth
  • Albanian: ndërdhëmbor — phonetics: pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth
  • Arabic: أَسَلِيّ (ʔasaliyy) — phonetics: pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth
  • Catalan: interdental — phonetics: pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth
  • Finnish: interdentaalinen — phonetics: pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth
  • Finnish: hampaidenvälinen — phonetics: pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth
  • Spanish: interdental — phonetics: pronounced with the tongue between the top and bottom teeth
  • Albanian: ndërdhëmbore — phonetics: type of sound
  • Finnish: hammasvälikköäänne — phonetics: type of sound
  • Finnish: hammasväliharja — small toothbrush