caries

noun, plural car·ies.

1. decay, as of bone or of plant tissue.
2. dental caries.

noun

1. a female given name, form of Caroline.

noun plural -ies

1. progressive decay of a bone or a tooth

n.

1630s, from Latin caries “rottenness, decay,” from Proto-Italic *kas-, usually said to be from PIE root *kere- “to injure, break apart” (cf. Greek ker “death, destruction,” Old Irish krin “withered, faded”). Related: Carious. But de Vaan writes that “semantically, caries may just as well belong to careocared ‘to lack’ as ‘defect, state of defectiveness’ ….”

n. pl. caries

1. Decay of a bone or tooth, especially dental caries.

Plural caries

1. Decay of a bone or tooth. Dental plaque formed by bacteria initiates a progressive process of decay that, if left unchecked, leads to tooth loss.