fluoridate

verb

fluo·​ri·​date ˈflu̇r-ə-ˌdāt How to pronounce fluoridate (audio) ˈflȯr- How to pronounce fluoridate (audio)
fluoridated; fluoridating

transitive verb

: to add a fluoride to (something, such as drinking water) to reduce tooth decay
fluoridation
ˌflu̇r-ə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce fluoridate (audio)
ˌflȯr-
noun

Examples of fluoridate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The addition of fluoride to public drinking water systems has been routine in communities across the United States since the 1940s and 1950s but still doesn't sit well with some people, and many countries don't fluoridate water for various reasons, including feasibility. — Lisa Rathke, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2022 In sparsely populated and largely rural Vermont, 29 of the 465 public water systems voluntarily fluoridate, and just over half of residents served by a public system get fluoridated water, according to the Vermont Department of Health. — Lisa Rathke, USA TODAY, 10 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fluoridate was in 1949

Browse Nearby Words

fluoresci-
fluoridate
fluoridated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fluoridate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fluoridate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

fluoridate

verb
flu·​o·​ri·​date
ˈflu̇r-ə-ˌdāt
fluoridated; fluoridating
: to add a fluoride to (as drinking water) in order to reduce tooth decay
fluoridation
ˌflu̇r-ə-ˈdā-shən
noun

Medical Definition

fluoridate

transitive verb
flu·​o·​ri·​date ˈflu̇r-ə-ˌdāt How to pronounce fluoridate (audio) ˈflōr- How to pronounce fluoridate (audio)
ˈflȯr-
fluoridated; fluoridating
: to add a fluoride to (as drinking water) to reduce tooth decay
fluoridation
ˌflu̇r-ə-ˈdā-shən, ˌflōr-, ˌflȯr- How to pronounce fluoridate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fluoridate

Nglish: Translation of fluoridate for Spanish Speakers

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