Meanings
nounearbone (plural earbones)
plural earbones
- anatomyAny bone in the ear.
This earbone criterion may seem esoteric — until we learn that the evolution of that bone structure is related to the development of a single lower jaw, which in turn, is associated with the fact that mammals, unlike, say, lizards, have differentiated teeth that allow for different kinds of chewing.
2009 May 15, Edward Rothstein, “Come Meet Your Folks: Warm Blood Is Required”, in New York Times
Origin
Translations
Czech sluchová kůstka
- sluchová kůstkaany bone in the year
Dutch gehoorbeentje
- gehoorbeentjeany bone in the year
French osselet de l'ouïe
- osselet de l'ouïeany bone in the year
German Gehörknöchelchen
- Gehörknöchelchenany bone in the year
Polish kosteczka słuchowa
- kosteczka słuchowaany bone in the year
Portuguese ossículo
- ossículoany bone in the year
Spanish huesecillo del oído
- huesecillo del oídoany bone in the year
Welsh esgyrnyn y glust
- esgyrnyn y glustany bone in the year
Cite this entry
APA
earbone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/earbone
MLA
“earbone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/earbone. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “earbone,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/earbone.
Source: earbone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.