🦴 Above the skull bone 🦴 A skull bone

supraoccipital

9.9

A bone at the upper rear of the skull in animals with a backbone

noun
/ˌsuːprəʊˈɒksɪpɪtəl/

Specialized

: supraoccipital

The paleontologist identified the supraoccipital in the fossilized skull of the ancient reptile.

Examples

In some species, the supraoccipital fuses with other cranial bones during development.
Damage to the supraoccipital can affect the overall shape of the vertebrate skull.
The supraoccipital bone is essential for skull structure.
Many reptiles have a prominent supraoccipital bone.
The paleontologist identified the supraoccipital in the fossilized skull of the ancient reptile.
Damage to the supraoccipital can affect the overall shape of the vertebrate skull.
In some species, the supraoccipital fuses with other cranial bones during development.

Surface Forms

supraoccipital singular

supraoccipitals plural

Morphology

supraoccipital = occipital bone (semi-transparent) = supra + occipital

The noun is formed by adding 'supra-' to the anatomical base (the occipital/occipital bone); semantically straightforward but highly technical.

Etymology

The supraoccipital bone is named from supra- 'above' and occipital 'back of the head', which helps you remember it as the bone that sits at the 'upper rear' of the skull.