carious

[ kair-ee-uhs ]

adjective

1. having caries, as teeth; decayed.

carious

/ ˌkɛərɪ-; ˈkɛərɪˌəʊz; ˈkɛərɪəs; ˌkærɪˈɒsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. (of teeth or bone) affected with caries; decayed

Derived Forms

• cariosity, noun

Other Words From

• car·i·os·i·ty [kair-ee-, os, -i-tee], cari·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of carious¹

1520–30; < Latin cariōsus decayed, rotten, equivalent to cari ( ēs ) caries + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

But another type of problem, carious lesions or cavities, has been found more often in fossilised teeth.

From Scientific American

The carious or necrotic process may extend to the mastoid cells.

From Project Gutenberg

The bone itself was become carious, and she found it necessary to have the flesh cut open to allow fragments of the bone to come out.

From Project Gutenberg

But other experts are critical of the Diagnodent and other early detection devices because they identify areas on teeth that aren't actually carious lesions.

From Seattle Times

Only the fungused brain and carious mouth Of senile things could shape such thought....

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• contaminated
• disagreeable
• fetid
• moldy
• musty
• polluted
• putrid
• smelly
• soured
• stale
• tainted