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occipital
adjective
oc·cip·i·tal
äk-ˈsi-pə-tᵊl
: of, relating to, or located within or near the occiput or the occipital bone
occipital
noun
occipitally
adverb
Examples of occipital in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Changes to your cervical spine health (like a compressed cervical disc) can also cause occipital neuralgia.14
People with occipital neuralgia may have extreme sensitivity to touch on their scalp or neck.
—
Sarah Bradley, Health, 17 Jan. 2025
The optic nerve is similar to a telephone cable that connects the eye to the occipital cortex at the very back of the brain, where what is viewed is then processed and interpreted.
—
Gary Stix, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024
In the insight case, the brain scans showed that in the second before the answer was reached, there was a burst of alpha waves in the right occipital cortex, which processes vision.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 18 July 2024
Occipital Neuralgia Occipital neuralgia is a rare disorder that causes headaches due to irritation of the occipital nerve, which perceives sensation in the scalp.
—
Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 11 July 2024
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Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Middle French, probably borrowed from Medieval Latin occipitālis, from Latin occipit-, occiput occiput + -ālis -al entry 1
First Known Use
1541, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing occipital
Dictionary Entries Near occipital
Cite this Entry
“Occipital.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occipital. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
occipital
1 of 2 adjective
oc·cip·i·tal
äk-ˈsip-ət-ᵊl
: of or relating to the back part of the head or skull or to the occipital bone
occipital
2 of 2 nounMedical Definition
occipital
1 of 2 adjective
oc·cip·i·tal
äk-ˈsip-ət-ᵊl
: of, relating to, or located within or near the occiput or the occipital bone
occipital
2 of 2 nounMore from Merriam-Webster on occipital
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about occipital
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