malocclusion

First attested in 1888. Formed as mal- (“wrong”, “improper(ly)”: ultimately from the Classical Latin male, “badly”, “wrongly”; from malus, “bad”; compare the ben- element in benocclusion) + occlusion (“alignment of the teeth in closed jaws”).

• Rhymes: -uːʒən

malocclusion (countable and uncountable, plural malocclusions)

1. (dentistry) A misalignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth.

• (misalignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth): benocclusion

• malocclude

• overbite