noun
mandible
MAN-dih-bul/ˈmændɪbl/
The lower jawbone of a vertebrate.
Your mandible moves up and down when you chew.
Etymology
Latin mandibula, “jaw,” comes from mandere, “to chew.” The name thus connects the jawbone with its role in chewing, while the selected anatomical sense specifies the lower jaw.
In context
… the mandible, which is your jawbone, as women age, it shrinks and it recedes
More examples
- The scan shows a small fracture in her mandible.
- The mandible holds the lower teeth in place.
- The students compare the mandibles of several mammals.
Forms
mandible · mandibles
mandibular adjective — Relating to the lower jawbone.
Similar words
- jawbone
- Can refer to either the upper or lower jawbone.
- jaw
- Can include surrounding tissues rather than just the bone.