ethmoid

English

Etymology

Borrowing from French ethmoïde, from Ancient Greek ἠθμοειδής (ēthmoeidḗs, “like a strainer, perforated”), from ἠθμός (ēthmós, “strainer, sieve”) +‎ -ειδής (-eidḗs, “-form, -like”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛθ.mɔɪd/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛθmɔɪd

Noun

ethmoid (plural ethmoids)

1. (anatomy) A light spongy cubical bone at the root of the nose, forming much of the walls of the nasal cavity and part of those of the orbits and having many perforations through which the olfactory nerves pass to the nose.

   Synonyms: ethmoid bone, ethmoidal bone

Derived terms

• ethmoidal
• ethmoidectomy
• ethmoiditis
• ethmoidofrontal
• nasoethmoid

Adjective

ethmoid (not comparable)

1. (anatomy, relational) Of or pertaining to the ethmoid bone.

   Synonym: ethmoidal

Derived terms

• basiethmoid
• cribroethmoid
• dermethmoid
• ectethmoid
• ethmo-, ethmoido-
• ethmoid bone
• ethmoid sinus
• mesethmoid
• parethmoid
• sphenoethmoid, sphenethmoid
• supraethmoid

References

• “ethmoid”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “ethmoid”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.