mandible

[ man-duh-buhl ]

noun

1. the bone of the lower jaw.
2. (in birds)
   1. the lower part of the bill.
   2. mandibles, the upper and lower parts of the bill.
3. (in arthropods) one of the first pair of mouthpart appendages, typically a jawlike biting organ, but styliform or setiform in piercing and sucking species.

mandible

/ ˈmændɪbəl; mænˈdɪbjʊlɪt; -ˌleɪt; mænˈdɪbjʊlə /

noun

1. the lower jawbone in vertebrates See jaw
2. either of a pair of mouthparts in insects and other arthropods that are usually used for biting and crushing food
3. ornithol either the upper or the lower part of the bill, esp the lower part

mandible

/ măn′də-bəl /

1. The lower part of the jaw in vertebrate animals.
2. See more at skeleton
3. One of the pincerlike mouthparts of insects and other arthropods.

Derived Forms

• mandibular, adjective
• mandibulate, nounadjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mandible¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin mandibula jaw, equivalent to mandi- (combining form of Latin mandere to chew) + -bula noun suffix of means

Word History and Origins

Origin of mandible¹

C16: via Old French from Late Latin mandibula jaw, from mandere to chew

Example Sentences

Its body is predominantly metallic blue, except for the antennae, mandibles, and legs.

From Science Daily

The county medical examiner’s office tried for years to find the owner of the errant piece of mandible, but their DNA databases turned up no matches.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s a convincing case,” Ward says, “but it’s just one mandible until about 2 million years ago,” when at least two members of the genus, Homo habilis and H. erectus, appear elsewhere in eastern Africa.

From Science Magazine

Their hunting expeditions are dangerous because termite soldiers defend their conspecifics -- and use their powerful mandibles to do so.

From Science Daily

Their data indicated that the Choerolophodontidae mandible was specialised for cutting horizontally or slanted-growing plants, which may explain the absence of mandibular tusks.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• bone
• mouth