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incus

American  
[ing-kuhs] / ˈɪŋ kəs /

noun

  • incudes,
    plural
  • incus
    plural
  1. Anatomy. the middle one of a chain of three small bones in the middle ear of humans and other mammals.

  2. Also called thunderhead.  Also called anvil.  Also called anvil cloud.  Also called anvil top,.  the spreading, anvil-shaped, upper portion of a mature cumulonimbus cloud, smooth or slightly fibrous in appearance.


incus British  
/ ˈɪŋkəs, ˈɪŋkjʊˌdeɪt, ˈɪŋkjʊdəl /

noun

  1. Nontechnical name: anvil.  the central of the three small bones in the middle ear of mammals Compare malleus stapes

"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

incus Scientific  
/ ĭng-kyo̅o̅dēz /
  • incudes
    plural
  1. The anvil-shaped bone (ossicle) that lies between the malleus and the stapes in the middle ear.

  2. The elongated, often anvil-shaped upper portion of a fully developed cumulonimbus cloud; a thunderhead.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

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

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:

Without the malleus and incus, sound waves would not be collected by the pinna.

From Textbooks Jun. 9, 2022

The auditory ossicles consist of three bones each: the malleus, incus, and stapes.

From Textbooks Jun. 9, 2022

When those sound waves hit your eardrum, it vibrates and that vibration is sent behind your eardrum to three tiny bones - the malleus, the incus and the stapes, the smallest bone in your body.

From BBC Jan. 3, 2022

The three ossicles are the malleus, incus, and stapes, which are Latin names that roughly translate to hammer, anvil, and stirrup.

From Textbooks Jun. 19, 2013

In general conformation of the malleus, incus, and stapes, Ochrotomys shows closer resemblance to B. taylori than to B. musculus.

From Speciation and Evolution of the Pygmy Mice, Genus Baiomys by Robert L. Packard

Rio state’s security plan incudes the presence of 3,200 military personnel and 1,500 civilian police officers on stand by.

From Seattle Times May 4, 2024

It incudes the verse: "And now, Oh Lord, you have made your servant King".

From BBC Sep. 17, 2022

Verlander's agreement incudes a $25 million salary for 2022 and a $25 million player option for 2023 conditioned on him pitching 130 or more innings in 2022.

From Fox News Dec. 14, 2021

The company today incudes digital entertainment, book publishing, calendar and greeting-card divisions.

From Washington Post Jul. 21, 2021

In January, Kikuchi signed a four-year, $56 million deal with the Mariners that incudes club options that could make it worth $109 million over seven seasons.

From Washington Times Mar. 16, 2019

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