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Glite Dictionary
🦴 Behind-ear bone 🦴 Ear bone part
petromastoid

petromastoid

9.9
The part of the skull behind the ear that helps hearing and balance
  • noun
  • Specialized
: petromastoides
  • Damage to the petromastoid can affect hearing and balance.

Examples

  • The surgeon carefully examined the petromastoid for signs of infection during the procedure.

  • The surgeon carefully examined the petromastoid for signs of infection during the procedure.

  • A CT scan revealed an abnormality in the patient's petromastoid region.

  • The petromastoid region is crucial for hearing.

  • Doctors often examine the petromastoid area during surgery.

  • Damage to the petromastoid can affect hearing and balance.

  • A CT scan revealed an abnormality in the patient's petromastoid region.

Surface Forms

petromastoid singular
petromastoids plural

Morphology

petromastoid = mastoid (opaque) = petro + mastoid

The term is a technical compound using the combining form 'petro-' and the anatomical 'mastoid'; this specialised formation is not transparently meaningful to general learners.

Etymology

Petromastoid combines petro- 'rock' (seen in petroleum) and mastoid 'breast-shaped', so it names the rock-like, rounded part of the bone behind the ear.