ossicle
/ˈɑsɪkəl/
noun
- A small bone, especially one of the three tiny bones in the middle ear that help transmit sound.
- The hammer is one of the three ossicles in the human ear.
- Birds have a single ossicle in their middle ear, unlike mammals.
- Doctors examined the ossicles to understand the patient's hearing loss.
- Any small bone-like structure in an animal's body.
- The fossil contained several ossicles from the creature's spine.
- Biologists studied the ossicles of the ancient fish to learn how it moved.
- Sea stars have tiny ossicles in their arms that give them structure.