occipital bone

occipital bone
occipital bone n a compound bone that forms the posterior part of the skull and surrounds the foramen magnum, bears the condyles for articulation with the atlas, is composed of four united elements, is much curved and roughly trapezoidal in outline, ends in front of the foramen magnum in the basilar process, and bears on its external surface behind the foramen magnum the two curved transverse superior and inferior nuchal lines as well as the median external occipital crest and external occipital protuberance

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a saucer-shaped bone of the skull that forms the back and part of the base of the cranium. At the base of the occipital are two occipital condyles: rounded surfaces that articulate with the first (atlas) vertebra of the backbone. Between the condyles is the foramen magnum, the cavity through which the spinal cord passes.

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os occipitale.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Occipital bone — Bone: Occipital bone Sagittal section of skull. (Occipital bone is at right, in blue.) …   Wikipedia

  • Occipital bone — Occipital Oc*cip i*tal, a. [Cf. F. occipital.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the occiput, or back part of the head, or to the occipital bone. [1913 Webster] {Occipital bone} (Anat.), the bone which forms the posterior segment of the skull and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • occipital bone — n. the bone that forms the back part of the skull: see SKULL …   English World dictionary

  • occipital bone — a saucer shaped bone of the skull that forms the back and part of the base of the cranium. At the base of the occipital are two occipital condyles: rounded surfaces that articulate with the first (atlas) vertebra of the backbone. Between the… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • occipital bone — noun a saucer shaped membrane bone that forms the back of the skull • Hypernyms: ↑membrane bone • Part Holonyms: ↑cranium, ↑braincase, ↑brainpan • Part Meronyms: ↑inion, ↑occipital pro …   Useful english dictionary

  • occipital bone — occip′ital bone n. anat. a curved, compound bone forming the back and part of the base of the skull • Etymology: 1670–80 …   From formal English to slang

  • occipital bone — noun Date: 1679 a compound bone that forms the posterior part of the skull and bears a condyle by which the skull articulates with the atlas …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • occipital bone — Anat. a curved, compound bone forming the back and part of the base of the skull. See diag. under skull. [1670 80] * * * …   Universalium

  • occipital bone — noun The bone at the back of the skull …   Wiktionary

  • occipital bone — /ɒkˈsɪpətl boʊn/ (say ok sipuhtl bohn) noun a compound bone which forms the lower posterior part of the skull …  

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