: a tooth with a rounded or flattened surface adapted for grinding
specifically
: one of the cheek teeth in mammals behind the incisors and canines see tooth illustration
1
: pulverizing by friction : grinding
2
: of, relating to, or located near the molar teeth
1
: of or relating to a mole of a substance
the molar volume of a gas
2
: containing one mole of solute in one liter of solution
Examples of molar in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
There are two types of molar pregnancy:13 Complete molar pregnancy: A complete molar pregnancy is caused when the egg has no genetic information and is fertilized by one or two sperm.
—Krissi Danielsson, Parents, 30 July 2024
Sands returned one week later to get crowns for her two molars.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2024
In the study, the mice were able to tolerate the highest concentration used, 0.6 molar, during the short testing periods.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for molar 
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Noun
There were 451 bones at the site, and some of these included mandibles with molars, which are good at preserving relatively intact DNA.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
There are two types of molar pregnancy:13 Complete molar pregnancy: A complete molar pregnancy is caused when the egg has no genetic information and is fertilized by one or two sperm.
—Krissi Danielsson, Parents, 30 July 2024
Sands returned one week later to get crowns for her two molars.
—Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2024
In the study, the mice were able to tolerate the highest concentration used, 0.6 molar, during the short testing periods.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for molar
Dictionary Entries Near molar
Cite this Entry
“Molar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/molar. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
molar
1 of 2 noun
mo·lar
ˈmō-lər 
: a tooth with a rounded or flattened surface adapted for grinding
especially
: one behind the premolars of a mammal
molar
2 of 2 adjective1
: adapted for grinding
2
: of or relating to a molar
Etymology
Noun
from Latin molaris "a grinding tooth," from mola "millstone" — related to mill entry 1
Word Origin
Food is crushed in the mouth by the grinding of teeth, especially the molars. In much the same manner, grain may be ground into flour between two rough circular millstones. The Latin word for millstone is mola, and it seemed fitting to the English in the late Middle Ages that a tooth which acted like a millstone be called a molar.
Medical Definition
molar
1 of 4 noun
mo·lar
ˈmō-lər
: a tooth with a rounded or flattened surface adapted for grinding
specifically
: one of the mammalian teeth behind the incisors and canines sometimes including the premolars but more exactly restricted to the three posterior pairs in each human jaw on each side which are not preceded by milk teeth
molar
2 of 4 adjective1
a
: pulverizing by friction
molar teeth
b
: of, relating to, or located near the molar teeth
molar gland
2
: of, relating to, possessing the qualities of, or characterized by a hydatidiform mole
molar pregnancy
molar
3 of 4 adjective1
: of or relating to a mass of matter as distinguished from the properties or motions of molecules or atoms
2
: of or relating to larger units of behavior especially as relatable to a prior deprivation or motivational pattern of the organism
interest in such molar problems of personality as the ego functions—R. R. Holt
compare molecular sense 2
R. R. Holtmolar
4 of 4 adjective1
: of or relating to a mole of a substance
the molar volume of a gas
2
: containing one mole of solute in one liter of solution
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