foramen
Americannoun
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foramina
plural
noun
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foramina
plural
-
An opening or short passage, especially in the body.
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◆ The large opening in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes is called the foramen magnum (măg|||PRIMARY_STRESS|||nəm).
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◆ The opening in the septum between the right and left atria of the heart, present in the fetus but usually closed soon after birth, is the foramen ovale (ō-văl|||PRIMARY_STRESS|||ē, -vā|||PRIMARY_STRESS|||lē, -vä|||PRIMARY_STRESS|||-).
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of foramen
1665–75; < Latin forāmen hole, opening, equivalent to forā ( re ) to bore 2 “pierce” + -men resultative noun suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A patent foramen ovale - or PFO - which is a small hole between the top two chambers of the heart.
From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2025
It had a prominent pineal foramen -- a hole in the top of its head that many lizard species use to sense sunlight and judge the length of daylight hours.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 29, 2023
The shape of the opening at the base of its skull—the foramen magnum—suggested Sahelanthropus balanced its head on top of a vertical neck, similar to upright walkers such as today’s humans.
From Science Magazine ● Aug. 24, 2022
Figure 6.15 Diagram of Blood and Nerve Supply to Bone Blood vessels and nerves enter the bone through the nutrient foramen.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
In long-standing cases acutely tender points are developed in one or more of these situations; not unfrequently the most decided of these spots is where it gets overlooked, namely, opposite the intervertebral foramen.
From Neuralgia and the Diseases that Resemble it by Francis E. Anstie
Lizards and iguanas, however, sport a single row of large holes above their teeth, called foramina, where blood vessels and nerves pass through.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 29, 2023
The sacral nerves emerge from the sacral foramina along the length of that unique vertebra.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
Openings here include the large foramen magnum, plus the internal acoustic meatus, jugular foramina, and hypoglossal canals.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
The interventricular foramina connect the frontal region of the lateral ventricles with the third ventricle.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
The palate is narrow in the interval between the incisor and molar teeth, in which are situated the large anterior palatine foramina.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 6 "Home, Daniel" to "Hortensius, Quintus" by Various
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