molaire
/mɔ.lɛʁ/feminine
The English word "molar" is molaire in French.
A molaire is a back tooth. The term can also function as an adjective to mean something of or relating to the molar teeth.
Meaning: back tooth (noun)
Which one should you use?
While molaire is the specific anatomical term, you may encounter the phrase dent du fond used to describe a tooth at the back of the mouth.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural molaires, simply add an s to the end of the word. The word is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɔ.lɛʁ/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- The French word molaire shares an ancestral root with the English word 'mill', as both trace back to the Latin 'mola' meaning 'millstone'.
- In French, the term dent de sagesse is used for a wisdom tooth, which is a specific type of molaire. While both are back teeth, the wisdom tooth is never called a molaire de sagesse.
- If you were to visit a French dentist, they might use the term 'dent de sagesse' to refer to your wisdom teeth, rather than the more clinical 'molaire'.
Examples in context
- Je devais me faire extraire une molaire.I had to get a molar extracted.This sentence is useful for describing the need to have a molaire extracted.Tatoeba #803740 by sacredceltic, translation #706793 by darinmex
- La douleur provient de ma molaire gauche.The pain is coming from my left molar.
- J'ai mal à ma dent du fond, ça me fait souffrir !I have pain in my back tooth, it's making me suffer!
- Cette molaire est très sensible au froid.This molar is very sensitive to cold.
- Le dentiste a examiné ma molaire droite.The dentist examined my right molar.
Example conversation
Chloé tells Gabriel about her toothache.
- ChloéGabriel, j'ai très mal à une molaire.Gabriel, I have a bad pain in a molar.
- GabrielC'est grave ? Tu devrais voir un dentiste.Is it serious? You should see a dentist.
- ChloéOui, je pense que ma molaire est cariée.Yes, I think my molar has a cavity.
- GabrielPrends un rendez-vous rapidement, Chloé.Make an appointment quickly, Chloé.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “molar” translations and entries molaire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries molaire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
