Explanatory Notes
Article Outline
Abbreviations Used in this Work: abbr, abbreviation, adj, adjective, adv, adverb, c, century, ca, circa, coll, colloquial, contr, contraction, comp, compare, esp, especially, GPT-1, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 1, J Prosthet Dent 1956;1-34, GPT-2, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 2, J Prosthet Dent 1963;13;993, GPT-3, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 3, J Prosthet Dent 1968;20:443-80, GPT-4, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 4, J Prosthet Dent 1977;38:66-109, GPT-5, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 5, J Prosthet Dent 1987;58:713-62, GPT-6, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 6, J Prosthet Dent 1994;71:41-111, GPT-7, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, Edition 7, J Prosthet Dent 1999;81: 41-110, lit, literally, obs, obsolete, occas, occasionally, orig, original, originally, pl, plural, pron, pronoun, specif, specifically, substand, substandard, syn, synonym, usu, usually, vb, verb, vi, verb intransitive, vt, verb transitive
Entries
Main entries
Any boldface letter or combination of letters that is set flush with the left-hand margin of each page constitutes a main entry or main-entry word. Such main entries may consist of letters, letters joined by hyphens, or letters separated by one or more spaces:
glare … v
glass-ceramic… n
gold foil… n
The subsequent explanation in lightface type that follows each main entry on the same line and, as necessary, on succeeding indented lines explains its inclusion in the glossary. Variations in compound words are frequent and widespread. Generally, although several acceptable variations may occur, one single style for any compound word has been chosen, usually on the basis of its frequency of occurrence, because that usually is its predominant form.
Order of main entries
All main entries are listed in their alphabetic order, letter by letter, without regard to intervening spaces or hyphens; that is, iatrogenic follows I-bar clasp. Generally accepted abbreviations have been spelled out in the alphabetic order. Full words come before parts of words made with the same letters.
Homographs
Some main entries have precisely the same written form. Two or more similarly spelled words are distinguished by superscript numerals that precede each word:
1 lute…n
1 articulate…vb
2 lute…vt2 articulate…adj
Homographs are generally entered in order of their first use in the English language.
Guide words
Pairs of words, termed guide words, are printed at the top of each page. All main entries that fall alphabetically between the guide words are found on that page. The first guide word is alphabetically the first entry on the page, and the second guide word is the last entry:
allogenic graft · alveoloplast
End-of-line division
Centered dots within main-entry words indicate appropriate division points at which a hyphen may be placed at the end of a line of print or writing. Thus the noun al·ve·o·lo·plasty may be ended on one line with:
al-
alve-
alveo-
alveolo-
and continued on the next line with:
veoloplasty
oloplasty
loplasty
plasty
Centered dots are not shown after a single initial letter or before a single terminal letter because printers seldom cut off a single letter. In addition, centered dots are not shown for multiple word entries. Acceptable alternative end line divisions are common, but it is impossible to show all variants. No more than one division is shown for each entry. Centered dots for end line divisions do not always correspond with pronunciation variants.
Variants
If a main entry is followed by another variation of the word with another spelling, the two spellings are equal variants. Both may be assumed to be standard, and either one may be used according to personal inclination.
color or colour
Run-on entries
A main entry may be followed by one or more derivatives or by a homograph with a different functional label. These constitute run-on entries. Each is introduced by a lightface dash and each has a functional label. They are, however, not defined because their meanings are readily derived from the root word's meaning:
2curve … vb … -curved … -curv·ing … vi
Functional Labels
An italic label indicating a part of speech or some other functional classification follows the main entry. The eight standard parts of speech are:
adjective …… adj
adverb …… adv
conjunction …… conj
interjection …… interj
noun …… n
preposition …… prep
pronoun …… pron
verb …… vb
If verbs are transitive and intransitive, the functional labels vt and vi introduce the subdivisions. Other italicized labels used to indicate functional classifications that are not traditional parts of speech are:
-prefix
-suffix
-trademark
Capitalization
Most main entries in this glossary begin with a lowercase letter. Some, however, begin with an uppercase letter, which indicates that the word is usually capitalized:
myo·centric
myo·monitor
The capitalization of entries that are open or hyphenated compounds is indicated by the form of the entry:
Dolder bar…
curve of Spee…
Davis crown…
Etymology
All material in boldface square brackets preceding the definition constitutes the etymology. Etymology traces a vocabulary entry as far back as possible in English, and, where possible, its origins.
Dates
Some main entries will have a date enclosed in parentheses immediately preceding the boldface colon that introduces the first sense or sense number when one is present. This represents the date of earliest recorded use, in English, as far as could be determined. Many prosthodontic terms have evolved without prior dating. As such, few dates appear in this glossary.
Usage
Only one status label (temporal) is used in this glossary to denote that a word, the sense of a word, or a phrase is not part of the standard vocabulary of prosthodontics. The label obs for “obsolete” means that there is no evidence to support its use since 1950:
sanitary bridge … n, obs:
The label obs is a comment by the editorial staff on the word being defined. An appropriate definition is provided where no current term is available or, alternatively, current acceptable terminology is suggested. The temporal label archaic means that a word, sense, or phrase is not in common use today and is found only sporadically or in some special context.
The stylistic label slang is used with words or senses that are especially appropriate in contexts of extreme informality. Many are composed of shortened forms or extravagant or fictitious figures of speech:
case…n… slang…: see PATIENT
plate…n…slang…: see PROSTHESIS
There are no satisfactory objective tests for slang. No word, in fact, is invariably slang, and many standard words can be given slang applications. The stylistic label nonstand for “nonstandard” is used for words or senses that conform to a widespread pattern of usage that differs in choice of word or expression from that of the general prosthodontic community language standard.
Usage notes
Usage notes that give supplemental information about such matters as idiom, syntax, and status sometimes follow definitions. A usage note is introduced by a lightface dash:
Abbe flap…n…:—called also lip switch operation
Usage paragraphs
Brief usage paragraphs have been placed in several entries for words or phrases that are considered to present special problems in terms of confused or disputed usage. A usage paragraph typically summarizes the historic background of the issue and its associated body of opinion, compares these with available evidence of current usage, and often adds comment for the use of the inquirer.
Each paragraph is signaled by the indented boldface italic—usage.
Definitions
Division of senses
A boldface colon is used in this glossary to introduce a definition:
Boldface Arabic numerals separate the senses of a word that has more than one sense:
The system of separating the various senses of a word by numerals and letters is strictly a lexical convenience. It tends to reflect something of the semantic relationship, but it does not evaluate senses or establish a hierarchy of importance within them. Sometimes a particular semantic relationship between senses is suggested by use of italicized sense dividers: esp, specif, also, or broadly. The sense division esp (for especially) is used to introduce the most common meaning in the more general preceding definition. The sense divider specif (for specifically) is used to introduce a common but very restricted meaning subsumed in the succeeding definition. The sense divider also is used to introduce a meaning that is closely related to but considered to be less important than the preceding sense. The sense divider broadly is used to introduce an extended or wider meaning of the preceding definition.
Order of senses
The ordering of senses within an entry is historic, where known, with the first known use of the sense entered first. The relationship between these senses is not necessarily an historic evolution, however.
Omission of a sense
Occasionally the glossary user, having turned to an entry, may not find a particular sense that was expected or hoped for. This usually means that the editors judged the sense insufficiently common or otherwise unimportant to include in the glossary. Because our language is dynamic, revision by future editors may reflect changes in the sense of a word not found in this edition.
Synonyms
A brief statement that discriminates words of closely associated meaning has been placed in some entries. They are signaled by an indented boldface italic—syn.
PII: S0022-3913(05)00173-3
doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2005.03.011
