toothed
toothed
UK[tuːθt]US[tuːθt]
adj
having teeth, especially of a specified kind or number
adj
having tooth-like projections; notched or serrated
Morpheme Breakdown
tooth
ed
tooth
body part
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'toothed' is a straightforward english compound formed from the native germanic noun 'tooth' and the adjectival suffix '-ed'. the old english root 'tōþ' can be traced back to proto-germanic 'tanþs', which itself derives from the proto-indo-European root 'h₃dónts', meaning 'tooth'. the suffix '-ed', from old english '-ede', is a productive morpheme used to create descriptive adjectives indicating possession or provision with the quality of the root noun. thus, the literal construction 'having teeth' logically extends to describe both biological dentition and any object featuring tooth-like projections, such as the notched edge of a saw or a gear.
Analysis
Structure: tooth (body part) + ed (adjective suffix)
'tooth' is from old english 'tōþ', of germanic origin, related to dutch 'tand' and german 'zahn'. it functions as the core noun denoting the hard, bony structure in the jaws. '-ed' is an english suffix of old english origin, used to form adjectives from nouns, meaning 'having' or 'characterized by'.
Examples
the fossil belonged to a sharp-toothed predator.
the gear has a finely toothed wheel for precise movement.
the leaf margin is distinctly toothed.