occipital condyle

noun

, Anatomy.

a protrusion on the occipital bone of the skull that forms a joint with the first cervical vertebra, enabling the head to move relative to the neck.

First recorded in 1855–60

The skull may be immovably fixed to the vertebral column, or may articulate with it by a single or double occipital condyle.

When the occipital condyle is double, it is formed by the exoccipitals, and the basi-occipital is small or unossified.

The dorsal portion (fig. 41, 1) is somewhat triangular in shape, and overhangs the occipital condyle.

The mandibular condyle is carried back to some distance behind the occipital condyle.

The basi-occipital forms the main part of a prominent convex knob, the occipital condyle, with which the atlas articulates.

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