sphenoid
Americanadjective
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being in the shape of a wedge; wedge-shaped.
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Anatomy. of or relating to the compound bone of the base of the skull, at the roof of the pharynx.
noun
adjective
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wedge-shaped
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of or relating to the sphenoid bone
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sphenoid
1725–35; < New Latin sphēnoīdēs < Greek sphēnoeidḗs. See sphen-, -oid
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.
I watched mine perform a complicated skull-based surgery — the removal of a sphenoid meningioma.
From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2022
Figure 29.7 The cranial bones, including the frontal, parietal, and sphenoid bones, cover the top of the head.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
These include the paired parietal and temporal bones, plus the unpaired frontal, occipital, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
This bony region of the sphenoid bone is named for its resemblance to the horse saddles used by the Ottoman Turks, with a high back and a tall front.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013
The bones that extend backward to the sphenoid are not easily identified.
From Dragons of the Air An Account of Extinct Flying Reptiles by H. G. Seeley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
