Definition

Describing animals that have few or no teeth, often referring to a specific group of mammals.

Example

The anteater is an edentate animal that feeds primarily on ants and termites.

Conversation

Did you know that some animals are edentate and have no teeth?

Really? I had no idea there were such creatures.

Yeah, like anteaters and sloths — they have adapted to their diets without teeth.

That's fascinating! Nature is so interesting in how it evolves.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A type of mammal that has very few or no teeth, including animals like sloths, armadillos, and anteaters.

Example

The edentate animals, such as sloths and armadillos, have adapted to their environments in unique ways.

Conversation

Did you know that sloths are actually classified as edentate animals?

Really? I always thought they had teeth.

Most of them have very few or no teeth at all, which is interesting.

Root Explanation

Edentate is formed from "e-" (meaning without) and "dentatus" (from "dens", meaning tooth). The word describes animals that are without teeth or have very few teeth, such as sloths and anteaters.

Memory Tip

Think of 'without' ('e-') and 'tooth' ('dentatus') to remember that 'edentate' refers to creatures that lack teeth.

Visually Confused Words