molar

¹ American  

[moh-ler] / ˈmoʊ lər /

noun

1. Also called molar tooth.  a tooth having a broad biting surface adapted for grinding, being one of twelve in humans, with three on each side of the upper and lower jaws.

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adjective

1. adapted for grinding, as teeth.

2. pertaining to such teeth.

molar ² American  

[moh-ler] / ˈmoʊ lər /

adjective

1. Physics. pertaining to a body of matter as a whole, as contrasted with molecular and atomic.

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molar ³ American  

[moh-ler] / ˈmoʊ lər /

adjective

Chemistry.

1. pertaining to a solution containing one mole of solute per liter of solution.

2. noting or pertaining to gram-molecular weight.

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molar ¹ British  

/ ˈməʊlə /

noun

1. any of the 12 broad-faced grinding teeth in man

2. a corresponding tooth in other mammals

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating any of these teeth

2. used for or capable of grinding

molar ² British  

/ ˈməʊlə /

adjective

1. (of a physical quantity) per unit amount of substance

   molar volume

2. (not recommended in technical usage) (of a solution) containing one mole of solute per litre of solution

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molar ¹ Scientific  

/ mō′lər /

1. Relating to a mole.

2. Containing one mole of solute per liter of solution.

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molar ² Scientific  

/ mō′lər /

1. Any of the teeth located toward the back of the jaws, having broad crowns for grinding food. Adult humans have 12 molars.

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Etymology

Origin of molar¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English molares (plural), from Latin molāris “grinding tooth, molar,” equivalent to mol(a) “millstone, mill” + -āris -ar ¹

Origin of molar²

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin mōl(ēs) “a lump; large mass” + -ar ¹

Origin of molar³

First recorded in 1860–65; mole ⁴ + -ar ¹

Example Sentences

My dentist said a molar needed to be yanked because of a cellular breakdown called resorption, and a periodontist in his office recommended a bone graft and probably an implant.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2026

The one molar she had left had no chewing surface, she said, meaning she could only eat soft food.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2025

In 1832, Darwin uncovered molar teeth belonging to Toxodon, and the following year he discovered a skull belonging to the creature in Uruguay.

From Salon • Sep. 7, 2024

Instead of the classic single ligature, they used a triple ligature approach on the upper left molar of male mice.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2024

It was the kind of look I knew could extract the truth the way a dentist tears free a rotten molar.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson