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stapes

stapes

9.9
A tiny bone in the middle ear that carries sound vibrations to the inner ear
  • noun
  • /ˈsteɪpɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : estribo
  • The stapes is the smallest bone in the human body and plays a crucial role in hearing by transmitting sound vibrations.

Examples

  • So here's the, you know, the malleus incus, the stapes, these little bones sometimes called the hammer anvillain stirrup.

  • It happens, of course, through the stapes here in the reptiles, directly from the ear drum drum to the inner ear.

  • Now this is a process where we will make a small opening within the stapes and place a little piston within it.

  • Stapes Group, n = 3N.V + 4 L.V + 1

    Academic text (1998)
  • Who owns these words that come here and go into this little thing that I'm holding in my hand and titillate the stapes in your in your ears so that you can hear these vibrations?

  • In a healthy ear, the stapes vibrates when sound waves enter the ear canal, passing the vibrations to the cochlea.

  • During surgery for hearing loss, surgeons often need to examine the stapes to ensure it is functioning correctly.

Synonyms

stirrup
vsstapes
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A very small bone in the middle ear that helps send sound to the inner ear

is the formal anatomical term used in medical contexts

Surface Forms

stapes singular
stapess plural
stapedia plural
stapediae plural

Etymology

The word stapes comes from a Latin word that means 'stirrup', because the tiny bone in the middle ear is shaped like a stirrup. So the name helps you remember its job: the stapes sends sound vibrations from the middle ear to the inner ear.