From Textbook (Anatomy Vocabulary) - Unit 4: The Skeletal System

appendicular skeleton

The bones of the shoulders, upper extremities, hips, and lower extremities

axial skeleton

The bones of the head, chest, and back

bones

The framework on which the body is built. The 206 individual pieces of the skeleton. Bone is known as osseous tissue. Bony and osteal are also adjectives for bone.

skeletal system

Body system that consists of all of the bones, cartilage, ligaments, and joints in the body

skeletomuscular system

The combined systems of the bones and muscles. The bones provide structural support for the body, and the muscles produce movement. It is also known as the musculoskeletal system.

skeleton

Bony framework of the body that consists of all 206 bones, plus cartilage and ligaments

cranium

Domelike bone at the top of the head that contains the cranial cavity and the brain and other structures

ethmoid bone

Bone that forms the posterior nasal septum and the medial walls of the eye sockets. It contains many small, hollow spaces.

fontanel

"Soft spot" on a baby's head where the cranial sutures are still open and there is only fibrous connective tissue

foramen

A hole in a bone. The foramen magnum is the largest. The spinal cord passes through it to join with the brain. There is a foramen in each vertebra where the spinal cord passes through. There are small foramina in the bones where blood vessels go through to the bone marrow.

frontal bone

Bone that forms the forehead and top of the cranium and ends at the coronal suture. It contains the frontal sinuses.

hyoid bone

U-shaped bone in the anterior neck. It is attached by ligaments to the styloid process of the temporal bone.

lacrimal bones

Facial bones within the eye socket. They are small, flat bones near the lacrimal glands, which produce tears.

mandible

Facial bone that is the lower jaw bone and contains the roots of the lower teeth. It is the only movable bone in the skull and forms a joint in front of the ear with the temporal bone (the temporomandibular joint).

maxilla

Facial bone that is the immovable upper jaw bone. It contains the roots of the upper teeth and the maxillary sinuses. The maxilla consists of two fused maxillary bones.

nasal bones

Facial bones that form the bridge of the nose and the roof of the nasal cavity

occipital bone

Bone that forms the posterior base of the cranium. It contains the large opening, the foramen magnum.

ossicles

Three tiny bones in the middle ear that function in the process of hearing. They are also known as the ossicular chain.

palatine bones

Facial bones that are small and flat and form the posterior hard palate

parietal bones

Bones that form the upper sides and posterior of the cranium. They join at the sagittal suture.

skull

Bony structure of the head that consists of the cranium and facial bones

sphenoid bone

Large, irregular bone that forms the central base and sides of the cranium and the posterior walls of the eye sockets. It contains the sphenoid sinuses. A bony cup in the sphenoid bone holds the pituitary gland.

suture

Joint where one cranial bone meets another. A suture is an immovable joint that contains no cartilage. Examples: Coronal suture, sagittal suture

temporal bones

Bones that form the lower sides of the cranium. They contain the openings for the external ear canals. Bony landmarks include the mastoid process behind the ear and the pointed styloid process, a point of attachment for ligaments to the hyoid bone.

vomer

Facial bone that forms the inferior part of the nasal septum and continues posteriorly to join the sphenoid bone

zygoma

Facial bone that is a cheek bone and goes to the edge of the eye socket. Also known as the zygomatic bone.

costal cartilage

Firm, but flexible segments of connective tissue that join the ribs to the sternum. The area where the costal cartilage meets the rib is the costochondral joint.

ribs

Twelve pairs of bones that form the sides of the thorax. There are true ribs, false ribs, and floating ribs.

sternum

Vertical bone of the anterior thorax to which the clavicle and ribs are attached. It is also known as the breast bone. The manubrium is the triangular-shaped superior part of the sternum, while the xiphoid process is the inferior pointed tip.

thorax

Bony cage of the chest that contains the thoracic cavity with the heart, lungs, and other structures. It is also known as the rib cage.

cervical vertebrae

Vertebrae C1–C7 of the vertebral column in the neck. C1 is the atlas; C2 is the axis.

coccyx

Group of several small, fused vertebrae inferior to the sacrum. It is also known as the tail bone.

intervertebral disk

Disk between two vertebrae. It consists of an outer wall of fibrocartilage and an inner gelatinous substance, the nucleus pulposus, that acts as a cushion.

lumbar vertebrae

Vertebrae L1–L5 of the vertebral column in the lower back

sacrum

Group of five fused vertebrae inferior to the lumbar vertebrae. The first one is S1.

spine

Bony column of vertebrae. It is also known as the vertebral column, spinal column, or backbone. It is divided into five regions: cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae, lumbar vertebrae, sacrum, and coccyx. Spine also refers to a bony projection, such as the spinous process on a vertebra.

thoracic vertebrae

Vertebrae T1–T12 of the vertebral column in the area of the chest. Each vertebra joins with one pair of ribs.

vertebrae

Bony structure in the spine. Most vertebrae have a vertebral body (flat, circular area), spinous process (bony projection along the midback), two transverse processes (bony projections to the side), and a foramen (hole where the spinal cord passes through).

clavicle

Rod-like bone on each side of the anterior neck. It joins with the manubrium of the sternum and the acromion of the scapula. It is also known as the collar bone.

glenoid fossa

Shallow depression in the scapula where the head of the humerus joins the scapula to make the shoulder joint

scapula

Triangular-shaped bone on each side of the upper back. It is also known as the shoulder blade. It contains the acromion, a bony projection that connects to the clavicle.

carpal bones

The eight small bones of the wrist joint

humerus

Long bone of the upper arm. The head of the humerus fits into the glenoid fossa of the scapula to make the shoulder joint.

metacarpal bones

The five bones of the hand, one corresponding to each finger. They connect the carpal bones to the phalanges.

phalanx

One of the individual bones of a finger or toe. A finger or toe is a digit or a ray.

radius

Forearm bone located along the thumb side of the lower arm

ulna

Forearm bone located along the little finger side of the lower arm. The olecranon (point of the elbow) is a large, square, bony projection on the proximal ulna.

acetabulum

Cup-shaped, deep socket of the hip joint. It is in the ilium and the pubic bone. It is where the head of the femur fits to make the hip joint.

ilium

Most superior hip bone. It has a broad, flaring iliac crest. Posteriorly, each ilium joins the sacrum. The ilium contains the acetabulum, the deep, cup-shaped socket of the hip joint.

ischium

Most inferior hip bone. Each ischium is one of the "seat bones."

pelvis

The hip bones as well as the sacrum and coccyx of the vertebral column

pubis

Small bridgelike bone that is the most anterior hip bone. The pubic symphysis is a nearly immobile joint between the two pubic bones.

calcaneus

Largest of the ankle bones. It is also known as the heel bone.

femur

Long bone of the upper leg. It is also known as the thigh bone. The head of the femur fits into the acetabulum to make the hip joint.

fibula

Thin bone in the lower leg, located on the little toe side. The adjectives fibular and peroneal mean fibula.

hallux

The great toe

malleolus

Bony projection of the distal tibia (medial malleolus) or the distal fibula (lateral malleolus). Often mistakenly called the ankle bones.

metatarsal bones

The five bones of the midfoot, one corresponding to each finger. They connect the ankle bones to the phalanges.

patella

Thick, round bone anterior to the knee joint. It is also known as the kneecap.

phalanx

(See Bones of the Upper Extremities, page 379)

tarsal bones

The seven bones in the ankle joint. The first is the tarsus; the largest is the calcaneus.

tibia

Large, weight-bearing bone of the lower leg located on the great toe side. It is also known as the shin bone.

joint

Area where two bones come together. It is also known as an articulation. There are three types of joints: suture, symphysis, and synovial.

ligament

Fibrous bands that hold two bone ends together in a synovial joint

meniscus

Crescent-shaped cartilage pad found in some synovial joints, such as the knee

suture joint

Immovable joint between two cranial bones; it contains no cartilage.

symphysis joint

Slightly movable joint between the two pubic bones (the pubic symphysis) or between the vertebrae. This joint contains a cartilage pad or a disk.

synovial joint

A fully movable joint. There are two types: hinge joint (elbow and knee) and ball-and-socket joint (shoulder and hip). Ligaments hold the bone ends together. The bone ends are covered with articular cartilage. The inner surface of the joint capsule is lined by a synovial membrane that produces synovial fluid to lubricate the joint.

cancellous bone

Spongy bone in the epiphyses of long bones. Its spaces are filled with red bone marrow that makes blood cells. It is also found in the skull, clavicles, sternum, ribs, vertebrae, and hip bones.

cortical bone

Dense, compact, weight-bearing bone along the diaphysis or shaft of a long bone

diaphysis

The straight shaft of a long bone

epiphysis

One of the two widened ends of a long bone. It contains the epiphyseal plate where bone growth takes place.

medullary cavity

Cavity within the shaft of a long bone. It contains yellow bone marrow (fatty tissue).

ossification

Process by which cartilage is changed into bone from childhood through adolescence

osteoblast

Bone cell that deposits new bone

osteoclast

Bone cell that breaks down areas of old or damaged boneosteocyte

osteocyte

Bone cell that maintains and monitors the mineral content (calcium, phosphorus) of bone

periosteum

Thick, fibrous membrane that covers the outer surface of a bone