: a small bone or bony structure (such as the malleus, incus, or stapes)
Examples of ossicle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In some sense, the emergence of the ossicle may have increased the odds of our being here.
—
Jim Daley, Scientific American, 5 Dec. 2019
Without ossicles, ancient mammals might have been merely dinner for larger predators—or died off from starvation—rather than becoming our distant ancestors.
—Jim Daley, Scientific American, 5 Dec. 2019
Once your eardrum starts vibrating, the ossicles in your middle ear start vibrating, too.
—Amber Brenza, SELF, 4 Feb. 2018
The auditory ossicles of the middle ear – the malleus, incus and stapes – are the tiniest bones in the human body.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian, 18 Dec. 2017
The other bore tooth-like protuberances, called ossicles, above speckled reddish black skin.
—Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, 4 Nov. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jim Daley, Scientific American, 5 Dec. 2019
Without ossicles, ancient mammals might have been merely dinner for larger predators—or died off from starvation—rather than becoming our distant ancestors.
—Jim Daley, Scientific American, 5 Dec. 2019
Once your eardrum starts vibrating, the ossicles in your middle ear start vibrating, too.
—Amber Brenza, SELF, 4 Feb. 2018
The auditory ossicles of the middle ear – the malleus, incus and stapes – are the tiniest bones in the human body.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian, 18 Dec. 2017
The other bore tooth-like protuberances, called ossicles, above speckled reddish black skin.
—Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, 4 Nov. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near ossicle
Cite this Entry
“Ossicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ossicle. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ossicle
noun
os·si·cle
ˈäs-i-kəl 
: a small bone or bony structure (as one of the three small bones of the middle ear)
Etymology
Latin, literally, "small bone"
Medical Definition
ossicle
noun
os·si·cle
ˈäs-i-kəl
: a small bone or bony structure
especially
: any of three small bones of the middle ear including the malleus, incus, and stapes
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share