ossicle

Late 16th century, from Latin ossiculum (“little bone, ossicle”) from os (“bone”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɒsɪkəl/

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ossicle (plural ossicles)

1. (anatomy) A small bone (or bony structure), especially one of the three of the middle ear.

   The incus is one of the three auditory ossicles.

   Synonyms: auditory bone, auditory ossicle, bonelet, ossicular chain, ossicule, ossiculum, otic bone

   Hyponyms: incus, malleus, stapes, hammer, anvil, stirrup

   Hypernyms: bone, os

2. (zoology) Bone-like joint or plate.
   1. One of numerous small calcareous structures forming the skeleton of certain echinoderms, as the starfishes.

      The skeleton of echinoderms is made of ossicles, linked to each other via muscles and connective tissue.

   2. One of the hard articuli or joints of the stem or branches of a crinoid or encrinite.
   3. One of the several small hard chitinous parts or processes of the gastric skeleton of crustaceans, as in the stomach of a lobster or crawfish.

Do not confuse ossicles (small bones in the middle ear as part of the auditory sense) with otoliths (small stones in the inner ear as part of the vestibular sense).

See os.

• loessic, scolies

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [uˈsi.klə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [oˈsi.kle]

ossicle m (plural ossicles)

1. ossicle (small bone)