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incus

[ ing-kuhs ]
/ ˈɪŋ kəs /

noun, plural in·cu·des [in-kyoo-deez] /ɪnˈkyu diz/ for 1; in·cus for 2.

Anatomy. the middle one of a chain of three small bones in the middle ear of humans and other mammals.Compare malleus, stapes.
Also called anvil, anvil cloud, anvil top, thunderhead. the spreading, anvil-shaped, upper portion of a mature cumulonimbus cloud, smooth or slightly fibrous in appearance.

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Origin of incus

1660–70; <New Latin, Latin incūs anvil, equivalent to incūd- (stem of incūdere to hammer, beat upon) + -s nominative singular ending; see incuse

OTHER WORDS FROM incus

in·cu·date [ing-kyuh-deyt, -dit, in-], /ˈɪŋ kyəˌdeɪt, -dɪt, ˈɪn-/, in·cu·dal [ing-kyuh-dl, in-], /ˈɪŋ kyə dl, ˈɪn-/, adjective

Words nearby incus

incursion, incursive, incurvate, incurvation, incurve, incus, incuse, incyclophoria, Ind, indaba, indagate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for incus

British Dictionary definitions for incus

incus
/ (ˈɪŋkəs) /

noun plural incudes (ɪnˈkjuːdiːz)

the central of the three small bones in the middle ear of mammalsNontechnical name: anvil Compare malleus, stapes

Derived forms of incus

incudate (ˈɪŋkjʊˌdeɪt) or incudal (ˈɪŋkjʊdəl), adjective

Word Origin for incus

C17: from Latin: anvil, from incūdere to forge
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for incus

incus
[ ĭng′kəs ]

n. pl. in•cu•des (ĭng-kyōō′dēz)

The middle of the three ossicles in the middle ear, located between the malleus and the stapes and composed of a body and two limbs.anvil
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for incus

incus
[ ĭng-kyōō′dēz ]

Plural incudes (ĭng-kyōō′dēz)

The anvil-shaped bone (ossicle) that lies between the malleus and the stapes in the middle ear.
The elongated, often anvil-shaped upper portion of a fully developed cumulonimbus cloud; a thunderhead.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.