noun
atlas
the topmost bone of the spine, supporting the skull
The diagram shows the atlas supporting the base of the skull.
Etymology
Atlas is the mythological figure who supports the heavens. The vertebra receives his name by analogy: it bears the skull above the rest of the spine.
More examples
- The atlas forms a ring around the upper spinal cord.
- Students identified the atlas on the skeletal model.
- The joint above the atlas helps the head nod.
Forms
atlas · atlases