hyoid
HY-oyd
Definition
A U-shaped bone or collection of bones in the neck that supports the tongue and throat tissues.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek 'hyoeidēs,' meaning 'shaped like the letter upsilon (υ).' The term entered English in the early 19th century to describe the anatomical structure supporting the tongue.
In the news
In this article, researchers analyzed the hyoid bone from the original Nanotyrannus skull to determine if the animal had reached maturity, proving it was a distinct species rather than a young T. rex.
For decades, paleontologists argued that a small tyrannosaur found in Montana’s Hell Creek Formation was merely a young T. rex. Then, within five weeks in late 2025, independent studies in Nature and Science showed its bones belonged to mature animals
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com