Sphenoid bone

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Sphenoid bone
Cranial Bones. Only the end of the wing of the sphenoid bone is visible
Sphenoid bone, upper surface.
Details
Identifiers
Latinos sphenoidale
MeSHD013100
TAA02.1.05.001
FMA52736
Anatomical terms of bone

The sphenoid bone[note 1] is an unpaired bone of the neurocranium. It is in the middle of the skull towards the front.

Notes[change | change source]

  1. According to most dictionaries, the word sphenoid (/ˈsfnɔɪd/[1][2] derives from Greek sphenoeides, "wedgelike". Thieme Atlas of Anatomy[3] disagrees and says that the sphenoid bone was originally called os sphecoidale, meaning "bone resembling a wasp", and that the word was later written 'sphenoidale' by a transcription error. An anterior view of the bone resembles more the body of a wasp or a bat[4] with wings than a wedge.

References[change | change source]

  1. OED 2nd edition, 1989.
  2. Entry "sphenoid" in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.
  3. Thieme Atlas of Anatomy, Head and Neuroanatomy 2011
  4. Chaurasia (31 January 2013). Human Anatomy Volume Three. CBS Publishers & Distributors. pp. 43–45. ISBN 978-81-239-2332-1.