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View synonyms for cavity

cavity

[ kav-i-tee ]

noun

, plural cav·i·ties.
  1. any hollow place; hollow.
  2. Anatomy. a hollow space within the body, an organ, a bone, etc.
  3. a hollow space or a pit in a tooth, most commonly produced by caries. A cavity may be artificially made to support dental restorations.


cavity

/ ˈkævɪtɪ /

noun

  1. a hollow space; hole
  2. dentistry a soft decayed area on a tooth See caries
  3. any empty or hollow space within the body

    the oral cavity

  4. electronics See cavity resonator
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cavity

/ kăvĭ-tē /

  1. A hollow; a hole.
  2. A hollow area within the body.
  3. A pitted area in a tooth caused by caries.
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Other Words From

  • cavi·tied adjective
  • sub·cavi·ty noun plural subcavities
  • un·cavi·tied adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cavity1

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French cavite from Late Latin cavitās “hollowness,” equivalent to Latin cav(us) “hollow” + -itās -ity
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Word History and Origins

Origin of cavity1

C16: from French cavité, from Late Latin cavitās, from Latin cavus hollow
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Synonym Study

See hole.
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Example Sentences

The particles then bounce across the plates and head further into the ray's cavity, while the rest of the water can still flow between the plates and out through the gills.

These cavities in the earth trap time, preserving unique, delicate ecosystems for centuries.

From BBC

Regular visits to the dentist to fill cavities used to be a shared ordeal for millions of American children and adults.

Rather than shrink the device, SungWoo Youn, a physicist at South Korea’s Institute for Basic Science, and colleagues decided to use a higher frequency resonance, or mode, of the same cavity.

After confirming successful plant growth, the 'soil' was baked leaving only the glass with root cavities.

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Related Words

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More About Cavity

What is a cavity?

A cavity is a pit or hole in a tooth caused by the decay of the enamel and bone, such as you might get if you don’t brush your teeth regularly.

A cavity is more generally any hollow place or crater, as in When the old building was torn down, all that was left was a huge cavity in the ground.

A cavity is also any other hole, divet, or pit in the body, such as the spinal cavity, which surrounds your spinal cord.

Example: That cavity in your molar is probably from all the soda you drink.

Where does cavity come from?

The first records of the term cavity come from the 1500s. It ultimately comes from the Latin cavus, meaning “hollow.” A cavity is always something that is hollow, with the context it is used in telling you how deep the cavity is and how large it is.

Cavity can be used to describe any empty area, which is useful in construction and production, as many products and materials are made with a cavity in the middle either for soundness purposes or to save money on materials. For example, a cavity wall is a wall of a building that has room in the middle for insulation or ventilation.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to cavity?

  • cavitied (adjective)
  • subcavity (noun)
  • uncavitied (adjective)

What are some synonyms for cavity?

What are some words that share a root or word element with cavity

What are some words that often get used in discussing cavity?

How is cavity used in real life?

Cavity is frequently used to refer to decaying in one’s teeth, but it is also often used to discuss much larger hollow spaces.

 

Try using cavity!

Is cavity used correctly in the following sentence?

That cavity under your arm is called your armpit.

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Cavitecavity block