dentation

American  

[den-tey-shuhn] / dɛnˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

Botany, Zoology.

1. the state or form of being dentate.

2. an angular or toothlike projection of a margin.

---

dentation British  

/ dɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the state or condition of being dentate

2. an angular projection or series of projections, as on the margin of a leaf

---

Other Word Forms

• subdentation noun

Etymology

Origin of dentation

First recorded in 1795–1805; dentate + -ion

Example Sentences

A rather unusual type of scalloped dentation lends additional interest.

From Project Gutenberg

In looking over a large collection of specimens in a museum, the most distinctive characters appear at first to be the colours, the dentation or barbed condition of the carina, the row of square marks on the scuta and terga, and the more or less produced form of the whole capitulum: all these characters are absolutely worthless as distinctive characters, and blend into each other.

From Project Gutenberg

For the species of plants are usually characterised either by differences in the form, size, and colour of the flowers, or of the fruits; or, by peculiarities in the shape, size, dentation, or arrangement of the leaves; or by peculiarities in the spines, hairs, or down with which various parts of the plant are clothed.

From Project Gutenberg