noun

halitosis

hal-ih-TOH-sihs

noun

Chronic bad breath.

"The dentist said her halitosis was caused by gum disease."

"Chewing mint gum only masks halitosis rather than curing it."

How to Use Halitosis

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe clinical term for persistent bad breath.

When to use it

A medical/formal word — most people just say "bad breath" in everyday speech.

halitoses plural

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The dentist said her _____ was caused by gum disease.

Coined in 1874 from Latin halitus ("breath") plus the Greek-derived medical suffix denoting a condition or disease.

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