noun
mandible
An arthropod's mouthpart used for biting or cutting.
The beetle uses its sharp mandibles to cut through leaves.
Etymology
Latin mandibula means jaw and is related to chewing. Zoology applies the jaw name to the paired biting mouthparts of arthropods.
More examples
- The ant grips a seed between its mandibles.
- Under the microscope, each mandible has a jagged inner edge.
- A crab's mandibles break up food near its mouth.
Forms
mandible · mandibles
mandibular adjective — Relating to the mandibles or their structure.
Similar words
- jaw
- A broader term for structures that bite or chew.