diastema

English

Etymology

From Late Latin, from Ancient Greek διάστημα (diástēma, “interval, space between”). Compare diastasis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /daɪəˈstiːmə/

Noun

diastema (plural diastemas or diastemata)

  1. A gap or space between two adjacent teeth, especially the upper front incisors (in humans). In other species, a diastema refers to a gap between teeth of different types, e.g. incisors and molars, which is a feature of some rodents and ungulates.
    • 1968, Anthony Burgess, Enderby Outside:
      A gormless-looking boy, thin and exhibiting diastemata in the shop-front lights, offered him English newspapers.
  2. In pathology, a diastema may refer to any abnormal space, fissure, or cleft in an organ or part of the body.
  3. In cell biology, the diastema is the modified protoplasm at the equator of a cell, existing before mitotic division.

Derived terms

Further reading

Anagrams

Italian

Noun

diastema m (plural diastemi)

  1. diastema

Anagrams

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.