a. Comp. Anat. [f. TRI- + L. tūbercul-um tubercle + -ATE2.] Having three tubercles, as a tooth; relating to or characterized by such teeth. Also Tritubercular a. So Trituberculism, Trituberculy, the condition of being tritubercular, or the presence of tritubercular teeth; Trituberculist, one who holds that the molar teeth of mammals are modifications of tritubercular teeth.
1883. Cope, in Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. (1884), 324. The type of superior molar tooth … was triangular or *tritubercular.
1890. Nature, 20 March, 466/2. The tritubercular molar consists of three cusps, cones, or tubercles, arranged in a triangle, and so disposed that those of the upper jaw alternate with those of the lower.
1835–6. Todd’s Cycl. Anat., I. 563/1. Molars … with *tri-tuberculate transverse ridges.
1902. Sat. Rev., 6 Dec., 711/2. The … fossil Theromorpha with multituberculate teeth,… those with trituberculate teeth.
1890. Nature, 20 March, 466/2. It appears probable … that *‘trituberculism,’ as this type of tooth-structure may be conveniently termed, was developed from a simple cone-like tooth during the Mesozoic period.
1891. Flower & Lydekker, Mammals, ii. 32. We also find trituberculism differentiating into a secodont and a bunodont series.
1896. Proc. Zool. Soc., 5 May, 599. There is no evidence to show that this type of upper molar arose in the way suggested by *trituberculists.
1888. H. F. Osborn in Amer. Nat., 1068. The almost universal predominance of *trituberculy in the early geological periods.
1902. Sat. Rev., 6 Dec., 711/2. Mr. Beddard … gives … the rival theories of trituberculy and multituberculy.
