fenestra

noun

fe·​nes·​tra fə-ˈne-strə 

plural fenestrae fə-ˈne-ˌstrē  -ˌtrī 

1

: a small anatomical opening (as in a bone): such as

a

or fenestra ovalis

-ō-ˈvā-ləs 

or fenestra vestibuli

-ve-ˈsti-byə-ˌlī 

: oval window

b

or fenestra cochleae

-ˈkä-klē-ˌē  -ˈkō-klē-ˌī 

or fenestra rotunda

-rō-ˈtən-də 

: round window

2

: an opening cut in bone

fenestral

fə-ˈne-strəl 

adjective

Examples of fenestra in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In most meat-eating dinosaurs, a ridge of bone provides a roof over an opening in the skull in front of the eye sockets known as the antorbital fenestra. —Matthew A. Brown, Scientific American, 1 Jan. 2021

The massive dinosaur had two large holes in the roof of its skull (dorsotemporal fenestra) that were filled with muscles to aid jaw movements. —Fox News, 6 Sep. 2019

The specialized pocket sits within an opening on the top rear of the skull called the dorsotemporal fenestra. —Riley Black, Smithsonian, 4 Sep. 2019

All these animals are united by subtle skull features, such as the absence of a hole in the lower jaw called the mandibular fenestra and the flat, wrinkle-cusped teeth set along the jaws. —Brian Switek, WIRED, 6 June 2012

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, window

First Known Use

circa 1737, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

fenestra

noun

fe·​nes·​tra fə-ˈnes-trə 

plural fenestrae -ˌtrē  -ˌtrī 

1

: a small anatomical opening (as in a bone): as

a

: oval window

b

: round window

2

a

: a small opening cut in bone : window sense 2

b

: a small opening in a surgical instrument (as an endoscope)

fenestral

-trəl 

adjective