edentulous

e•den•tu•lous (ee-DEN-chuh-luhs)  adj

Definition:
having no teeth; toothless

edentulism noun

Origin:
1775–85; from Latin dentulus : -, ex- +  dent-, tooth

Related:
Synonyms: toothless
Related Words: dentist, denture, indent

Sentence Examples:
• Atkinson exhibited in Philadelphia a man of forty who never had any distinct growth of hair since birth, was edentulous, and destitute of the sense of smell and almost of that of taste. He had no apparent perspiration, and when working actively he was obliged to wet his clothes in order to moderate the heat of his body. -Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine, George M. Gould

• The condition may only affect a few teeth, or it may spread to them all, in which case the patient may in the course of some years become edentulous. -Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck, Alexander Miles

The Storyline
And then, when at last she was out the door of her apartment building, she breathed in the fresh air, only to catch a whiff of the sickly and edentulous homeless man that sometimes sits near the entrance, hoping for some spare change from passing strangers.

Why This Word:
This is the medical establishment's word for toothless, meaning and used in the same way.

Sources: Free Dictionary

Word-E: A Word-A-Day