halitosis

Everyday

Halitosis is the medical word for bad breath — breath that smells unpleasant. tree →

In the lessons

A formal or medical word, often used in health lessons and adverts for toothpaste and mouthwash. In everyday talk people say «bad breath». Brushing your teeth and tongue, flossing and drinking water help prevent it. Phrases: suffer from halitosis, cause halitosis.

Examples

• Halitosis means bad breath. tree →
• Brushing your teeth twice a day helps stop halitosis. tree →
• The dentist said his halitosis came from a bad tooth. tree →
• Garlic and onions can cause short-term halitosis. tree →
• The advert promised to cure halitosis. tree →
• Dogs can get halitosis too, so vets check their teeth. tree →

Note

Uncountable: «halitosis», not «a halitosis». Say: hal-i-TOE-sis. Formal; the everyday words are «bad breath». Talking about someone's breath can be embarrassing — be kind.