orbital cavity
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈɔrbɪtəl ˈkævɪti/
- Specialized
:
cavidad orbital
- The surgeon inspected the orbital cavity for signs of trauma.
Examples
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Infections in the orbital cavity can sometimes threaten vision if left untreated.
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The orbital cavity houses not only the eyeball but also supporting muscles and nerves.
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The orbital cavity protects the eye from injury.
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Each orbital cavity supports the eyeball's position.
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The surgeon carefully examined the patient's orbital cavity to ensure there were no fractures.
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The orbital cavity provides protection for the eye against external injuries.
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During the examination, the doctor pointed out the importance of the orbital cavity in housing the eyeball.
Synonyms
34
6.0
A hollow in a bone where an eye or tooth sits
14
3.5
A hollow space in the skull that holds the eyeball
5
8.1
A bony hollow in the skull that holds and protects the eye
A bony space in the skull that holds and protects the eye
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'orbital' specifies relation to the orbit/eye socket and 'cavity' means a hollow, so together they denote the hollow socket that holds the eyeball. This adjectival + noun combination follows regular compounding patterns and parallels terms in many languages, so a learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The term orbital cavity shows a simple picture: orbital points to the eye area and cavity means a hollow. Imagine the eyeball sitting like a ball in a cup of bone, so the phrase means 'the bony socket that holds and protects the eyeball'.