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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
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
The study published by the Lancet, found that 94% of patients diagnosed with Posterior Cortical Atrophy, or PCA, a neurodegenerative condition that impairs one's vision and mainly affects the occipital and parietal cortex, also had Alzheimer's.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 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 24 Nov. 2024.
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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