hyoid bone

noun

variants or less commonly hyoid

plural hyoid bones also hyoids

: a U-shaped bone or complex of bones that is situated between the base of the tongue and the larynx and that supports the tongue, the larynx, and their muscles

Examples of hyoid bone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hyoid bone in her neck was also reportedly broken, which can occur during strangulation. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025

The larynx is comprised of cartilage and the hyoid bone that together support the vocal cords, which are attached to muscles on either side of the larynx. —ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2025

Given the hyoid bone, which was very important for this investigation? —Abc News, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2025

Torre found that male and female vaquitas have differently shaped hyoid bones, suggesting distinct types of vocalizations for each. —Erik Vance, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

New Latin hyoides, from Greek hyoeidēs shaped like the letter upsilon (Υ, υ), being the hyoid bone, from y, hy upsilon

First Known Use

circa 1811, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hyoid bone

• acetone
• anglophone
• baritone
• bourguignon
• buspirone
• chaperon
• chaperone
• cobblestone
• collarbone
• cornerstone
• cortisone
• dictaphone

Medical Definition

hyoid bone

noun

: a U-shaped bone or complex of bones that is situated between the base of the tongue and the larynx and that supports the tongue, the larynx, and their muscles

called also hyoid, lingual bone