OCCIPITAL BONE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does occipital bone mean? 

• OCCIPITAL BONE (noun)
  The noun OCCIPITAL BONE has 1 sense:

1. a saucer-shaped membrane bone that forms the back of the skull

  Familiarity information: OCCIPITAL BONE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OCCIPITAL BONE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A saucer-shaped membrane bone that forms the back of the skull

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("occipital bone" is a kind of...):

membrane bone (any bone that develops within membranous tissue without previous cartilage formation; e.g. the clavicle and bones of the skull)

Meronyms (parts of "occipital bone"):

inion (the craniometric point that is the most prominent point at the back of the head (at the occipital protuberance))

occipital protuberance (prominence on the outer surface of the occipital bone)

Holonyms ("occipital bone" is a part of...):

braincase; brainpan; cranium (the part of the skull that encloses the brain)

 Context examples 

A muscle originating from the anterior tubercle of the transverse processes of cervical vertebrae three through six that inserts at the basilar process of the occipital bone acting to turn the neck anteriorly.

(Longus Capitis, NCI Thesaurus)

A large orifice in the occipital bone through which the spinal cord enters the cranial cavity.

(Foramen Magnum, NCI Thesaurus)

The anterior aspect of the foramen magnum formed by the basilar part of the occipital bone.

(Anterior Foramen Magnum, NCI Thesaurus)

In the surgeon’s deposition it was stated that the posterior third of the left parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)