Definition of cavity

The word "cavity" has its roots in Latin. The Latin word "cavus" means "hollow" or "empty", and it is related to the verb "carvare", which means "to hollow out". In the 15th century, the Latin "cavus" was borrowed into Middle English as "cavyte", which referred to a hollow or empty space. The modern English word "cavity" emerged in the 17th century, initially referring to a hollow or empty space in general. Over time, the term became specifically used in medicine to describe an empty space within the body, such as a cavity in a tooth or a cavity in the heart. In dentistry, the term is used to describe a decayed area in a tooth that has been caused by bacterial acid. Today, the word "cavity" is widely used in both medicine and everyday language to describe a hollow or empty space.