What is "carnassial"

Carnassial \Car*nas"si*al\, a. [Cf. F. carnassier carnivorous, and L. caro, carnis, flesh.] (Anat.) Adapted to eating flesh. -- n. A carnassial tooth; especially, the last premolar in many carnivores.

n. One of the teeth used by a carnivore for shearing flesh, being the last upper premolar and the first lower molar.

adj. (of a tooth) adapted for shearing flesh; "the carnassial teeth of carnivores"

Carnassials are paired upper and lower teeth (either molars or premolars and molars) modified in such a way as to allow enlarged and often self-sharpening edges to pass by each other in a shearing manner. The modification arose separately in several groups of carnivorous mammals. Different pairs of teeth were involved in the separate modifications. In modern Carnivora, the carnassials are the modified fourth upper premolar and the first lower molar. These teeth are also referred to as sectorial teeth. Humans lack carnassial teeth.