superciliary ridge
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌsuːpərˈsɪl.i.ɛr.i rɪdʒ/
- Specialized
:
cresta supercilio
- The injury left a bruise just below his superciliary ridge.
Examples
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The pronounced superciliary ridge is a distinguishing feature in the skulls of some early human ancestors.
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The superciliary ridge is an important feature of the human skull.
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In anatomy class, we learned to identify the superciliary ridge above the eye socket.
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Many animals have a pronounced superciliary ridge for better protection.
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The superciliary ridge is prominent in some people, giving them a more defined brow.
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Surgeons need to be careful when operating near the superciliary ridge to avoid damaging surrounding tissue.
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The anthropologist noted the size of the superciliary ridge as a distinct feature of the ancient skull.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A raised bone above the eye socket on the forehead
A ridge of bone above the eye socket on the forehead
A thick bony ridge above the eyes often seen in early human ancestors
Surface Forms
Morphology
superciliary + ridge
The compound is transparently compositional: 'superciliary' (literally 'above the eyelashes/eye') plus 'ridge' (a raised area) yields a raised area above the eye socket (the brow ridge). Although the term is technical and uncommon, its Latin-derived parts are directly interpretable and similar formations exist cross-linguistically, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
The term superciliary ridge comes from old words meaning 'above the eyebrow': super means above and ciliary is about eyelashes or the brow. It is the bony ridge just above the eye socket, so the name simply points to the raised bone 'above the eyebrow'.