premaxilla

American  

[pree-mak-sil-uh] / ˌpri mækˈsɪl ə /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

plural

premaxillae

1. one of a pair of bones of the upper jaw of vertebrates, situated in front of and between the maxillary bones.

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premaxilla British  

/ ˌpriːmækˈsɪlə /

noun

1. either of two bones situated in the upper jaw between the maxillary bones

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Other Word Forms

• premaxillary adjective

Etymology

Origin of premaxilla

From the New Latin word praemaxilla, dating back to 1865–70. See pre-, maxilla

Example Sentences

The skull is unusual in having both an extensively ossified nasal septum, and a down-turned anterior region on the premaxilla that contacts the edge of the upper jaw.

From Scientific American • Nov. 9, 2013

The premaxilla is rudimentary and loosely attached to the maxilla.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 10 "Echinoderma" to "Edward" by Various

Extension of premaxillae posterior to nasals.—From the posteriormost border of the nasals to the posterior end of the extension of a premaxilla.

From Subspeciation in Pocket Gophers of Kansas, [KU. Vol. 1 No. 11] by Hall, E. Raymond (Eugene Raymond)

The upper jaw has a great bar of cartilage, the palato-pterygoid, as its sole support; the arch of premaxilla, maxilla, jugal, and squamosal-- all membrane bones-- is, of course, not represented.

From Text Book of Biology, Part 1: Vertebrata by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)

He points out also that in all carduelines, the prepalatine bar is flared at its juncture with the premaxilla, and that the mediopalatine processes are fused across the midline; noncardueline fringillids lack these characteristics.

From Myology and Serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae A Taxonomic Study by Stallcup, William B.