| 1. | the third molar on each side of the upper and lower jaws: the last tooth to erupt. |
| 2. | cut one's wisdom teeth, to attain maturity or discretion. |
Four molars, two on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw, that are the last teeth to emerge in the mouth.
Note: These teeth are associated with wisdom because they appear during the late teens or early twenties, when a person is physically mature. Often, the wisdom teeth may not rise above the gum line, but remain impacted in the jaw, causing inflammation. If this impaction occurs, or if they pose a threat to other teeth, the wisdom teeth may need to be removed.
wisdom tooth wis·dom tooth (wĭz'dəm)
n.
The third molar tooth on both sides of each jaw that erupts from the 17th to the 23rd year.