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Glite Dictionary
asterion

asterion

9.9
A point on the skull where three bones meet
  • noun
  • /ˌæstəˈriːən/
  • Specialized
: asterión
  • The location of the asterion can vary slightly between individuals.

Examples

  • Medical students learn to palpate the asterion as part of their anatomy training.

  • The asterion is located behind the ear.

  • During the surgery, the surgeon identified the asterion as a key landmark for orientation.

  • Can you identify the asterion on this diagram?

  • The asterion is an important landmark in the anatomy of the human skull.

  • During the anatomy class, we learned that the asterion is where several skull sutures converge.

  • Surgeons must be careful around the asterion when performing cranial procedures.

Surface Forms

asterion singular
asterions plural

Etymology

Asterion comes from the Greek root aster meaning 'star' and the ending -ion meaning 'small', the same star root you see in asterisk. So it means a 'little star' and helps you remember the point on the skull where several sutures meet like the points of a star.