Canine Teeth Are Named After Dogs
Canine means relating to dogs. Human canine teeth carry the name because they resemble a dog's.
Canine means relating to dogs, and names the pointed teeth beside the incisors. Humans have four of them, and the name is comparative: anatomists called them *dentes canini* because they resemble the prominent tearing teeth of a dog. In most other primates the canines are far larger, and the human reduction is one of the notable features of our skulls.
- Relating to dogs. *Canine behaviour.*
- A pointed tooth. *An upper canine.*
- A dog. *A working canine.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | canine | Canine anatomy. |
| Noun | canine | A chipped canine. |
| Related | feline | Feline grace. |
| Genus | Canis | Canis lupus. |
| Related | kennel | A boarding kennel. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The dentist repaired the canine.Tooth.
- Canine units search the building.Police dogs.
- Human canines are unusually small.Compared with other primates.
Animal adjectives
- canine — dog
- feline — cat
- equine — horse
- bovine — cattle
- ursine — bear
From Latin *caninus*, of a dog, from *canis* — related to Greek *kyon* and to English *hound*.
How many canine teeth do humans have?
Four, one in each quarter of the mouth, positioned between the incisors and premolars.
Are canis and hound related?
Yes, distantly. Both descend from the same Indo-European root for dog, through Latin and Germanic respectively.