stapes

[ stey-peez ]

noun

, Anatomy.

, plural sta·pes, sta·pe·des [st, uh, -, pee, -deez].

1. the innermost, stirrup-shaped bone of a chain of three small bones in the middle ear of humans and other mammals, involved in the conduction of sound vibrations to the inner ear.

stapes

/ ˈsteɪpiːz; stæˈpiːdɪəl /

noun

1. See malleus, incus
   the stirrup-shaped bone that is the innermost of three small bones in the middle ear of mammals Nontechnical namestirrup bone Compare incus malleus

stapes

/ stā′pēz /

, Plural stapes stā′pĭ-dēz′

1. The roughly stirrup-shaped bone that is the innermost of the three small bones (ossicles) of the middle ear.

Derived Forms

• stapedial, adjective

Other Words From

• sta·pe·di·al [st, uh, -, pee, -dee-, uh, l], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stapes¹

First recorded in 1660–70; from New Latin stapēs, Medieval Latin: “stirrup,” perhaps etymologizing alteration of Italian staffa “stirrup” (from Germanic ) by association with Latin stāre “to stand,” and pēs, stem ped- “foot”; foot

Word History and Origins

Origin of stapes¹

C17: via New Latin from Medieval Latin, perhaps a variant of staffa, stapeda stirrup, influenced in form by Latin stāre to stand + pēs a foot

Example Sentences

The third ear-ossicle of mammals, the stapes, comes not from the first arch but from the second.

From Project Gutenberg

Even then it may be anatomically impossible to see the stapes.

From Project Gutenberg

In the latter (Ambystoma) the nerve is beneath, and in the former (Rana) above, the stapes.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes the term columella is used to include the whole ossicular chain,—the columella together with the stapes.

From Project Gutenberg

The stapes is very much like a reptilian columella, having a single crus with no perforation.

From Project Gutenberg