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Synonyms

caries

American  
[kair-eez, -ee-eez] / ˈkɛər iz, -iˌiz /

noun

plural

caries

  1. decay, as of bone or of plant tissue.

  2. dental caries.

caries British  
/ ˈkɛəriːz /

noun

  1. progressive decay of a bone or a tooth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
caries Scientific  
/ kâr′ēz /

plural

caries

  1. Decay of a bone or tooth. Dental plaque formed by bacteria initiates a progressive process of decay that, if left unchecked, leads to tooth loss.

Etymology

Origin of caries

First recorded in 1625–35, caries is from the Latin word cariēs decay

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The researchers discovered higher levels of Streptococcus mutans -- a common oral bacterium known for causing dental caries -- in the gut microbiomes of people with Parkinson's.

From Science Daily • Jan. 6, 2026

"With the advent of fluoridated toothpaste, other countries without fluoride in the drinking water have similar caries occurrence as the US."

From Salon • Aug. 27, 2024

Of the adults' teeth, 13% were affected by caries -- often at the roots.

From Science Daily • Dec. 14, 2023

The capsule caries a precious cargo - a handful of dust grabbed from asteroid Bennu, a mountain-sized space rock that promises to inform the most profound of questions: Where do we come from?

From BBC • Sep. 21, 2023

As the patient is unable to keep the mouth clean, particles of food lodge and decompose there, causing irritation of the mucous membrane, caries of the teeth, and fœtor of the saliva and breath.

From Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. by Miles, Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.