OSSICLE

ossicle, bonelet, ossiculum

(noun) a small bone; especially one in the middle ear

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

ossicle (plural ossicles)

(anatomy) A small bone (or bony structure), especially one of the three of the middle ear.

(zoology) Bone-like joint or plate, especially

one of numerous small calcareous structures forming the skeleton of certain echinoderms, as the starfishes;

one of the hard articuli or joints of the stem or branches of a crinoid or encrinite;

one of the several small hard chitinous parts or processes of the gastric skeleton of crustaceans, as in the stomach of a lobster or crawfish.

The skeleton of echinoderms is made of ossicles, linked to each other via muscles and connective tissue.

Synonyms

• auditory bone

• auditory ossicle

• bonelet

• ossicular chain

• ossicule

• ossiculum

• otic bone

Anagrams

• loessic, scolies

Source: Wiktionary

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Os"si*cle, n. Etym: [L. ossiculum, dim. of os, ossis, a bone.]

1. A little bone; as, the auditory ossicles in the tympanum of the ear.

2. (Zoöl.)

Definition: One of numerous small calcareous structures forming the skeleton of certain echinoderms, as the starfishes.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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