occipital

American  

[ok-sip-i-tl] / ɒkˈsɪp ɪ tl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or situated near the occiput or the occipital bone.

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noun

1. any of several parts of the occiput, especially the occipital bone.

occipital British  

/ ɒkˈsɪpɪtəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the back of the head or skull

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noun

1. short for occipital bone

Other Word Forms

• occipitally adverb
• preoccipital adjective
• superoccipital adjective

Etymology

Origin of occipital

1535–45; < Medieval Latin occipitālis, equivalent to Latin occipit- (stem of occiput ) occiput + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

The occipital lobe is the visual processing area of the brain and a stroke in this area can cause an array of visual impairments.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2025

A left occipital infarct is a type of ischaemic stroke, which is caused by a blood clot clogging an artery in a brain.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2024

There were also differences in the interaction between the hippocampus and the visual cortex, which is responsible for processing and integrating visual information in the brain and is located in the occipital lobe.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2024

The new study suggests that, in a healthy brain, the temporal lobe is directly or indirectly inhibiting activity in the dorsomedial occipital lobe, which supports visual association.

From Scientific American • May 26, 2023

“At the occipital bone, the posterior base of my skull,” Rachael said.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick