polyphyodont

P3O1L1Y4P3H4Y4O1D2O1N1T1

noun

Any animal whose teeth are continuously replaced.

“Elephants and manatees are unusual among mammals because they are polyphyodonts. Most mammals are diphyodonts, replacing their teeth only once in their lives.”

OriginAncient Greek πολύς →
Scrabble 26
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Meanings

nounpolyphyodont (plural polyphyodonts)

plural polyphyodonts

  1. Any animal whose teeth are continuously replaced.

    Elephants and manatees are unusual among mammals because they are polyphyodonts. Most mammals are diphyodonts, replacing their teeth only once in their lives.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekπολύς“many, much”
  2. Englishpolyphyodont

From Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, “many, much”) + φύω (phúō, “produce”) + ὀδόντος (odóntos) (genitive of ὀδούς (odoús, “tooth”)).

More words from Ancient Greek

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Cite this entry
APA

polyphyodont. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyphyodont

MLA

“polyphyodont.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyphyodont. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polyphyodont,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyphyodont.

Source: polyphyodont on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.