molar

UK: ˈməʊlə | US: ˈmoʊlər

Definition

  1. n. a large tooth at the back of the mouth, used for grinding food

  2. adj. relating to or designating a unit of concentration in chemistry (one mole per liter)

  3. adj. pertaining to a mass or bulk (e.g., molar volume)

Structure
mol <mass unit>ar <adjective suffix>mol <millstone/tooth>ar <adjective suffix>
Etymology

The word "molar" has two distinct etymological paths:

  1. Dental Meaning: Derived from Latin mola ("millstone"), referencing the tooth's grinding function. The suffix -ar forms adjectives, giving "molar" its anatomical sense.
  2. Chemical Meaning: From "mole" (a unit of substance in chemistry, from German Mol, short for Molekül) + -ar, indicating "pertaining to." This usage emerged in the 19th century.
Examples

  1. The dentist examined her cracked molar.

  2. Sodium chloride has a molar mass of 58.44 g/mol.

  3. Molar teeth are essential for chewing tough foods.

  4. The solution was prepared at a 1.5 molar concentration.

  5. Fossilized molars reveal ancient dietary habits.