Definition

1. Noun:
   • The rigid, bony outer wall of the inner ear: The "bony labyrinth" is the intricate, maze-like system of cavities and canals within the temporal bone of the skull. It houses and protects the delicate, fluid-filled membranous labyrinth, which contains the actual sensory organs for hearing and balance.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The computed tomography scan revealed a fracture in the patient's bony labyrinth.
  • The cochlea is a spiral-shaped part of the bony labyrinth.
  • The bony labyrinth is filled with a fluid called perilymph.

Advanced Usage

• Anatomical Context: The term is used almost exclusively in anatomical, medical, and biological contexts to describe this specific skeletal structure. It is often contrasted with the "membranous labyrinth" it encloses.
  • The surgeon carefully navigated around the bony labyrinth to avoid damaging the inner ear structures.

Variants and Related Words

• Otic capsule: A synonym for the bony labyrinth, emphasizing its role as a protective capsule.
• Osseous labyrinth: A direct synonym; "osseous" means "bony."
• Membranous labyrinth (n): The system of soft, sac-like and duct-like structures housed the bony labyrinth, containing the sensory cells.

Synonyms

• Osseous labyrinth: The exact synonym in medical terminology.
• Otic capsule: A synonym focusing on its protective function.

Related Phrases

• "Within the bony labyrinth": A common prepositional phrase describing the location of other structures.
  • The saccule and utricle are located within the bony labyrinth.

Related Idioms

• This is a precise anatomical term and is not used idiomatically.

Noun

1. cavity in the petrous part of the temporal bone that contains the membranous labyrinth