den·ta·li·um \-ˈtālēəm\noun Etymology: New Latin, from Latin dentalis dental + -ium 1.capitalized: the type genus of Dentaliidae comprising a number of widely distributed tooth shells 2.pluraldentaliums\-mz\ordenta·lia\-lēə\: any mollusk or shell of the genus Dentalium; broadly: tooth shell, scaphopod