underbite

noun

un·​der·​bite ˈən-dər-ˌbīt How to pronounce underbite (audio)
plural underbites
: malocclusion in which the lower jaw and front teeth project beyond the upper front teeth : prognathism involving the lower jaw
Three years ago, Jack, a small Chihuahua mix with an endearing underbite and a lust for attention, was dropped off at the Haven Animal Care Shelter.Natalie Gross
… had braces to straighten his own teeth and surgery to correct a severe underbite, ….Jean P. Fisher
compare overbite

Examples of underbite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Pippa is tricolor, with long ears, a distant gaze, and an underbite that, Peacock mentioned, Piper didn’t have. Alexandra Horowitz, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024 Silver carp can grow up to 3 feet in length, have toothless mouths with an underbite and have silver scales everywhere except their heads, which are scale-free. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2024 With his thick Southern accent and chin jutted out to a menacing underbite, Charlie seems like an angry bulldog ready to take a bite out of the world. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 2 May 2024 The upper jaws of many of its patients didn’t grow as expected, leaving them with underbites. Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024 Holland’s son, now 13, has only a minor underbite after orthodontics and likely won’t need jaw surgery at all. Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024 The remaining kitty – a fluffy gray shorthair with a hilarious underbite – seemed less interested in Sheeran and more a fan of its food bowl. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024 Rose Parade rain: In the Dec. 27 California section, an article about a storm in the forecast and the possibility of rain on the Rose Parade identified one of the dogs riding on the Pasadena Humane Society’s parade float as a shiba inu with an underbite. Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2023 The alligator’s upper snout ended just below its eyes, leaving its mouth perpetually open and the lower half of its jaw jutting forward like an eerie underbite. Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 18 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of underbite was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near underbite

Cite this Entry

“Underbite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underbite. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

underbite

noun
un·​der·​bite ˈən-dər-ˌbīt How to pronounce underbite (audio)
: malocclusion in which the lower jaw and front teeth project beyond the upper front teeth : prognathism involving the lower jaw
… had braces to straighten his own teeth and surgery to correct a severe underbite, as well as whitening.Jean P. Fisher
compare overbite
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!