stapes

Thân thiện

A doctor points to the stapes in a diagram of the human ear.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • The stirrup-shaped ossicle that transmits sound from the incus to the cochlea: The "stapes" is the smallest and innermost of the three tiny bones (ossicles) in the middle ear. Its distinctive stirrup shape allows it to function as a vital link in the chain of bones that conducts sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The stapes is the smallest bone in the human body.
  • Otosclerosis is a condition that can cause the stapes to become fixed, leading to hearing loss.
  • The vibration passes from the incus to the stapes.

Advanced Usage

• Surgical Context: The "stapes" is often discussed in medical contexts, particularly in relation to otology (the study of the ear).
  • The surgeon performed a stapedectomy to replace the diseased stapes with a prosthesis.

Variants and Related Words

• Stapedial (adj): Relating to the stapes.
  • The stapedial muscle is attached to the stapes.
• Stapedectomy (n): A surgical operation to remove the stapes.
• Ossicle (n): A general term for a small bone, specifically referring to the three bones of the middle ear (malleus, incus, stapes).

Synonyms

• Stirrup: This is a direct synonym based on the bone's shape. In anatomical contexts, "stapes" is the precise term, while "stirrup" is the common descriptive name.

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Ossicular chain: The series of three bones (malleus, incus, stapes) in the middle ear.
• Malleus: The hammer-shaped first ossicle.
• Incus: The anvil-shaped middle ossicle.
• Cochlea: The spiral-shaped cavity of the inner ear, which receives vibrations from the stapes.

Học thuật

Noun

1. the stirrup-shaped ossicle that transmits sound from the incus to the cochlea

Từ đồng nghĩa

• stirrup