mastoid process

noun

1. a large, bony prominence on the base of the skull behind the ear, containing air spaces that connect with the middle ear cavity.

mastoid process

/ măs′toid′ /

1. A protruding bony area in the lower part of the skull that is located behind the ear in humans and many other vertebrates and serves as a site of muscle attachment. The mastoid process contains small air-filled cavities called mastoid cells that communicate with the middle ear.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mastoid process¹

First recorded in 1725–35