Plural Of Tooth

The plural of tooth is something that can confuse a lot of people. While most nouns in the English language follow simple pluralization rules, “tooth” is different. Instead of just adding “s” to make it plural, like “car” becomes “cars,” tooth becomes teeth. 

Understanding why “teeth” is correct instead of “tooths” will help you improve your English and better understand the irregular nouns we use every day. Let’s break down everything from its linguistic origins to the grammatical rules that govern it.

Key Takeaways:

• The plural of tooth is “teeth.”
• English plural rules can be irregular, and “tooth” is one of those cases.
• “Tooth” is a countable and uncountable noun.
• Understanding irregular plurals can help with avoiding mistakes in writing and speech.

Is The Plural of Tooth “Tooths” or “Teeth”?

People often wonder whether the correct plural of tooth is “tooths” or “teeth.” While the regular rule for most nouns is to add an “s” or “es” to form a plural noun, tooth is an irregular plural form. The correct form is teeth, not “tooths.”

The Plural of Tooth is “Teeth”, not “tooth”

This irregularity comes from Germanic language roots. Many words with these origins, such as “goose” becoming “geese” or “foot” becoming “feet,” have irregular plural forms. This is why tooth plural is teeth—it follows the same historical rule.

Forming the Plural of Tooth

To form the plural of tooth, you do not simply add “s” like with most nouns. Instead, you need to change the internal vowel, a trait common in some irregular plural forms. 

This transformation is linked to older rules from Germanic languages and Old English, which handled plurals differently than modern English does today.

Here’s a simple comparison:

Singular Form	Plural Form
Tooth	Teeth
Goose	Geese
Foot	Feet

This table shows that tooth follows the same pluralization rules as other irregular nouns.

Is Tooth Plural Possessive?

No, “Tooth” plural Teeth is not the plural possessive form

When making tooth plural possessive, the correct form would be teeth’s. This form is used when you want to show possession by more than one tooth, like in the sentence, “The teeth’s condition needs treatment.”

Examples: 

• The teeth’s color was whiter after the cleaning.
• The teeth’s position affects how they bite together.

Possessive forms are often confusing, but remember: for singular possession, it’s tooth’s, and for plural possession, it’s teeth’s. English possessive forms follow this pattern across both regular and irregular nouns.

Teeth’s’ is the plural possessive, showing the teeth belong to someone/something

Why Is There Confusion Over The Plural Of Tooth?

The confusion between tooth plural and teeth stems from the irregular nature of some plural forms in the English language. Most words get an “s”, but some are irregular like teeth. English has many exceptions to its standard guidelines, and words like tooth are one of the prime examples.

Learners of English may expect the plural form of tooth to follow the same rules as most plural nouns, like “dogs” or “houses.” However, teeth come from older Germanic roots, where internal vowel changes were common for pluralization.

Standard Rules for Forming Plurals

In English, most plural nouns are formed by adding “s” or “es” to the singular noun. For example:

• The book plural is Books.
• Box plural is Boxes.

But for irregular words like tooth, the rules change. These irregularities usually occur in words with strong ties to Old English or Germanic languages. These irregular words need to be memorized.

Here’s a breakdown of standard guidelines vs. irregular plural forms:

Regular Plural	Irregular Plural
Car -> Cars	Foot -> Feet
House -> Houses	Tooth -> Teeth

These pluralization rules are between regular plural formation and irregular plurals like teeth.

Is Tooth A Countable Or Uncountable Noun?

Tooth can be countable or uncountable noun because you can count individual teeth.

Countable: She has 32 teeth in her mouth.

Uncountable: I need to take better care of my teeth to keep them healthy.

Unlike an uncountable noun such as “water” or “air,” which can’t be counted in specific numbers, tooth and teeth are easily counted. This makes them countable nouns, fitting into a clear singular form and plural form.

Collective Noun For Tooth

A collective noun refers to a group of things as a single entity. For teeth, common collective nouns include “set” or “row.” You might hear someone say, “a set of teeth” or “a row of teeth.”

There is not a specific or widely-used collective noun for tooth, but using “set” is a practical way to refer to multiple teeth together.

Plural Of Tooth Example Sentences

Here are some sentences using the plural of tooth:

• “The dentist checked all of my teeth.”
• “I lost two of my teeth in the accident.”
• “Take care of your teeth by brushing them twice a day.”

Each of these sentences uses the correct teeth plural and shows how it’s used in daily conversation.

Definition of Tooth

A tooth is a hard, bony, and calcified structure in the mouth used for eating and speaking. Humans typically have 32 teeth once fully grown, with some being for biting and others for chewing. Teeth are an essential part of both human and animal biology.

Origin Of The Word Tooth

The word tooth comes from the Old English word “tōð” or “tōth.” which was influenced by Germanic roots. Over time, the etymology of tooth evolved, with the plural of tooth becoming teeth. This shift reflects broader changes in the Germanic languages that English borrowed from.

Wrapping it Up

To summarize, the correct plural of tooth is teeth, not “tooths.” This irregular plural form has roots in Old English and reflects broader trends in how Germanic languages evolved. Understanding this helps you use the word correctly and avoid common mistakes.

By knowing when to use teeth and understanding why it differs from regular plural rules, you can improve both your writing and speaking. Keep practicing, and these irregular plural forms will become second nature!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are tooth and teeth?

A tooth is a hard structure in your mouth used for biting and chewing. Teeth is the plural form that refers to more than one tooth.

Is teeth singular or plural?

Teeth is the plural form. The singular form is tooth.

What is the plural of “The boy brushes the tooth”?

The plural is “The boy brushes the teeth.”

What is the singular for teeth?

The singular form of teeth is tooth.

How many teeth do humans typically have?

Adults usually have 32 teeth in total, including wisdom teeth.

Is teeth plural possessive?

Yes, teeth’s is the plural possessive form. It shows that something belongs to multiple teeth, like in the sentence “The dentist examined the teeth’s condition.”

Why is it teeth and not tooths?

The word teeth is an irregular plural. Unlike many nouns that simply add “s” to make them plural, tooth changes its form to teeth when there is more than one.

Read More:

15 Polished Alternatives to “I Hope You Had a Great Weekend”

Please Let Me Know Your Thoughts-Ways To Say In English

16 Ways to Say Safe Travels Synonym

“On The Bus” or “In The Bus”: A Simple Guide with Examples

Is Hard Work One Word?

20 Others Name to say “Please Ignore this Mail”