temporal bone

noun

, Anatomy, Zoology.

1. either of a pair of thick compound bones forming the part of the skull that encases the inner ear.

temporal bone

noun

1. either of two compound bones forming part of the sides and base of the skull: they surround the organs of hearing

Word History and Origins

Origin of temporal bone¹

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

It was at the point after the nerve passes through the inner ear and enters the temporal bone, on its way to the muscles of the face.

From New York Times

Since the thickness of the blade is just .03 inches, less material would be lost when cutting into temporal bone — a part of the skull encasing the inner ear and balance organs.

From Salon

Some of the vibrations passed through the wood, through his jaw, through his temporal bone, and into his cochlea, bypassing his eardrum and middle ear.

From The New Yorker

As an example, many researchers focus their sampling effort on the petrous bone, the hard portion of the temporal bone at the base of the skull, which houses the intricate structures of the inner ear.

From Nature

The impact left him with a fractured temporal bone, bleeding on his brain and a concussion, his family wrote on a GoFundMe page.

From Fox News