Dentifrice

Dentifrice is a noun that refers to a paste or powder for cleaning the teeth. Our word of the day combines the Latin prefix D-E-N-T, meaning ‘tooth,’ as in ‘dentist’ or ‘dentures,’ with the Latin word fricare (fri CAR ay) which means ‘to rub.’ Here’s an example of dentifrice in use: The dentist recommended I use this dentifrice on my teeth instead of brushing them. But it felt strange to do it. The act of rubbing something on my teeth makes me feel silly.