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hyoid bone

noun
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variants: or less commonly hyoid
plural hyoid bones also hyoids

Definition of hyoid bone

: 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 Before that determination was made public, an article in The Washington Post noted Mr. Epstein’s injuries included a broken hyoid bone, an injury that could have been a sign of strangulation, as well as suicide by hanging. — Azi Paybarah, New York Times, "Epstein’s Autopsy ‘Points to Homicide,’ Pathologist Hired by Brother Claims," 30 Oct. 2019 Among the bones broken in Epstein's neck was the hyoid bone, which in men is near the Adam's apple. — Aaron C. Davis, chicagotribune.com, "Autopsy finds broken bones in Jeffrey Epstein’s neck, sources say," 15 Aug. 2019 Among the bones broken in Epstein’s neck was the hyoid bone, which in men is near the Adam’s apple. — Aaron C. Davis, BostonGlobe.com, "Autopsy finds broken bones in Jeffrey Epstein’s neck, deepening questions around his death," 15 Aug. 2019 Among the bones broken in Epstein's neck was the hyoid bone, which in men is near the Adam's apple. — oregonlive.com, "Autopsy finds broken bones in Epstein’s neck, deepening questions around his death," 14 Aug. 2019 The hyoid bone played a central role in a heated dispute last year over another high-profile death in New York, that of Eric Garner. — Aaron C. Davis, chicagotribune.com, "Autopsy finds broken bones in Jeffrey Epstein’s neck, sources say," 15 Aug. 2019 The hyoid bone played a central role in a heated dispute last year over another high-profile death in New York, that of Eric Garner. — Aaron C. Davis, BostonGlobe.com, "Autopsy finds broken bones in Jeffrey Epstein’s neck, deepening questions around his death," 15 Aug. 2019 The hyoid bone played a central role in a heated dispute last year over another high-profile death in New York, that of Eric Garner. — Anchorage Daily News, "Autopsy finds broken bones in Epstein’s neck, deepening questions around his death," 15 Aug. 2019 The hyoid bone becomes more brittle and is easier to break as people age. — al, "Some Jeffrey Epstein prison camera footage is unusable," 27 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hyoid bone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of hyoid bone

circa 1811, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for hyoid bone

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

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Time Traveler for hyoid bone

Time Traveler

The first known use of hyoid bone was circa 1811

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Statistics for hyoid bone

Last Updated

19 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Hyoid bone.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyoid%20bone. Accessed 16 December 2019.

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More Definitions for hyoid bone

hyoid bone

noun

Medical Definition of hyoid bone

: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on hyoid bone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hyoid bone

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