egg tooth — n. a tooth like structure on the nose or beak of young reptiles and birds used to break the egg membrane or shell at the time of hatching … English World dictionary
egg tooth — egg′ tooth n. zool. a calcareous prominence at the tip of the beak or upper jaw of an embryonic bird or reptile, used to break through the eggshell at hatching • Etymology: 1890–95 … From formal English to slang
Egg tooth — In some egg laying animals, the egg tooth is a small, sharp, cranial protuberance used by offspring to break or tear through the egg s surface during hatching. It is present in most birds and reptiles, and similar structures exist in monotremes,… … Wikipedia
egg tooth — noun : a hard sharp prominence on the tip of the beak or nose of embryo birds and oviparous reptiles with which they break through the eggshell; also : an analogous chitinous prominence on the head of an insect * * * a calcareous prominence at… … Useful english dictionary
egg-tooth — see egg burster … Dictionary of invertebrate zoology
egg tooth — noun Date: 1893 a hard sharp prominence on the beak of an unhatched bird or the nose of an unhatched reptile that is used to break through the eggshell … New Collegiate Dictionary
egg tooth — noun A small, sharp, cranial protuberance used by offspring to break or tear through the eggs surface during hatching … Wiktionary
egg tooth — noun a hard white protuberance on the beak or jaw of an embryo bird or reptile, used for breaking out of the shell … English new terms dictionary
egg tooth — /ˈɛg tuθ/ (say eg toohth) noun a calcareous point on the tip of the beak or upper jaw, by which an unhatched bird or reptile breaks through the eggshell on hatching …
Egg (biology) — Bird eggs and others (click on image for key) … Wikipedia
