hyoid bone

noun

variants or less commonly hyoid

plural hyoid bones also hyoids

: a U-shaped bone or complex of bones that is situated between the base of the tongue and the larynx and that supports the tongue, the larynx, and their muscles

Examples of hyoid bone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Torre found that male and female vaquitas have differently shaped hyoid bones, suggesting distinct types of vocalizations for each. —Erik Vance, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2017

The medical examiner testified to her findings, but Tucker noticed that the autopsy revealed the hyoid bone in Marianne's neck was intact and not broken. —CBS News, 15 Oct. 2022

The hyoid bone viewed superiorly in humans (left), Neanderthals (center), and chimpanzees (right). —Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2018

Strangulation almost always leaves physical signs such as bruising, pinpricks of under-the-skin bleeding in the face, or fractures of the hyoid bone in the neck, said Gary Watts, president of the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners. —Author: Wesley Lowery, Hannah Knowles, Mark Berman, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Dec. 2020

Word History

Etymology

New Latin hyoides, from Greek hyoeidēs shaped like the letter upsilon (Υ, υ), being the hyoid bone, from y, hy upsilon

First Known Use

circa 1811, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hyoid bone

noun

: a U-shaped bone or complex of bones that is situated between the base of the tongue and the larynx and that supports the tongue, the larynx, and their muscles

called also hyoid, lingual bone