HYOID BONE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does hyoid bone mean? 

• HYOID BONE (noun)
  The noun HYOID BONE has 1 sense:

1. a U-shaped bone at the base of the tongue that supports the tongue muscles

  Familiarity information: HYOID BONE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HYOID BONE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A U-shaped bone at the base of the tongue that supports the tongue muscles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

hyoid; hyoid bone; os hyoideum

Hypernyms ("hyoid bone" is a kind of...):

bone; os (rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates)

 Context examples 

A muscle extending from the hyoid bone to the side of the tongue that retracts and pulls the side of the tongue downward.

(Hyoglossus Muscle, NCI Thesaurus)

A vein arising near the hyoid bone from several veins from the submaxillary region.

(Anterior Jugular Vein, NCI Thesaurus)

A muscle extending from the chin to the hyoid bone that brings the hyoid bone forward when swallowing and depresses the mandible.

(Geniohyoid, NCI Thesaurus)

A broad, fibro-elastic membrane extending from the upper border of the thyroid cartilage to the greater cornu and posterior border of the hyoid bone.

(Middle Thyrohyoid Ligament, NCI Thesaurus)

A short elastic band that unites the epiglottis to the upper border of the hyoid bone.

(Hyoepiglottic Ligament, NCI Thesaurus)