"to denote, signify; to note down, describe," 1590s, a back-formation from denotation, or else from past-participle stem of Latin denotare "denote, mark out," from de- "completely" (see de-) + notare "to mark, note, make a note" (see note (v.)). Related: Denotated; denotating.
1530s, "indication, act of indicating by a name or sign," from Late Latin denotationem (nominative denotatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin denotare "denote, mark out," from de- "completely" (see de-) + notare "to mark, note, make a note" (see note (v.)). Sense of "meaning or signification of a term" is from 1610s. As a term in logic, "that which a word denotes, names, or marks" (contrasted with connotation) from 1843. Related: Denotational.
1610s, "teething, the cutting of teeth," from Latin dentitionem (nominative dentitio) "teething," noun of action from past-participle stem of dentire "to cut the teeth," from dens (genitive dentis) "tooth," from PIE root *dent- "tooth." Meaning "the kind, number, and arrangement of teeth" is from 1849.
1610s, "having the quality of naming," from Late Latin denominativus, from Latin denominat-, past-participle stem of denominare "to name," from de- "completely" (see de-) + nominare "to name," from nomen "name" (from PIE root *no-men- "name"). Of words, "constituting a distinct appellation," 1630s. As a noun, 1580s, "that which denominates or describes;" in grammar, 1630s, "word formed or derived from a noun."
ancient Roman silver coin, 1570s, from Latin denarius, noun use of adjective meaning "containing ten," and short for denarius nummus "the coin containing ten (aces)," from deni- "by tens," from decem "ten" (from PIE root *dekm- "ten"). In English money reckoning, "a penny," this having been, like the Roman denarius, the largest silver coin (hence d for "pence" in l.s.d.).
"one whose profession is to clean and extract teeth, repair them when diseased, and replace them when necessary with artificial ones," 1759, from French dentiste, from dent "tooth," from Latin dens (from PIE root *dent- "tooth") + -ist.
Dentist figures it now in our newspapers, and may do well enough for a French puffer, but we fancy Rutter is content with being called a tooth-drawer. [Edinburgh Chronicle, Sept. 15, 1759]
(Tooth-drawer is attested from late 14c.). Related: Dentistic; dentistical.
"the provision of teeth in the jaws," especially "a set of artificial teeth," 1845, from French denture "set of teeth," from Latin dens (genitive dentis, "tooth," from PIE root *dent- "tooth") + -ure (see -ure). In Middle English, the word meant "an indenture; a zigzag course" (c. 1400). Related: Dentures.
