Bone and Bone Marking Vocabulary

Cranial bones

The bones that make up the cranium of the skull.

Frontal bone

The bone that forms the forehead.

Parietal bone

The two bones that form the sides and roof of the skull.

Occipital bone

The bone that forms the back and base of the skull.

Temporal bone

The bone that forms the sides of the skull and contains the structures of the ears.

Ethmoid bone

A bone that contributes to the nasal cavity and orbits.

Sphenoid bone

A complex bone located at the base of the skull, articulating with all cranial bones.

Coronal suture

The suture that runs across the skull, separating the frontal bone from the parietal bones.

Sagittal suture

The suture that runs along the midline of the skull, separating the parietal bones.

Lambdoid suture

The suture that separates the occipital bone from the parietal bones.

Squamous suture

The suture that separates the temporal bone from the parietal bone.

Styloid process

A slender pointed piece of bone just below the ear.

Mastoid process

A bony prominence located behind the ear.

Occipital condyles

The rounded ends of the occipital bone that articulate with the atlas.

Foramen magnum

The large opening at the base of the skull where the spinal cord exits.

External acoustic meatus

The passage leading to the inner ear.

Zygomatic arch

The arch formed by the zygomatic bone and the temporal bone.

Mandibular fossa

The depression in the temporal bone where the mandible articulates.

Nasal bones

The two small bones that form the bridge of the nose.

Lacrimal bone

The small bones forming part of the eye socket.

Zygomatic bone

The bone that forms the cheekbone.

Vomer

The bone that forms part of the nasal septum.

Maxilla

The bone that forms the upper jaw.

Mandible

The lower jawbone.

Palatine bones

The bones that form the back part of the hard palate.

Lacrimal fossa

The groove for the lacrimal sac located in the lacrimal bone.

Mental foramen

An opening in the mandible for the mental nerve and vessels.

Condylar process

The projection at the end of the mandible that forms a joint with the skull.

Coronoid process

The anterior projection on the ramus of the mandible for muscle attachment.

Hyoid bone

A U-shaped bone in the neck that supports the tongue.

Atlas (C1)

The first cervical vertebra that supports the skull.

Axis (C2)

The second cervical vertebra that allows for head rotation.

Cervical vertebrae

The seven vertebrae in the neck region.

Thoracic vertebrae

The twelve vertebrae in the upper back region.

Lumbar vertebrae

The five vertebrae in the lower back region.

Sacrum

The triangular bone formed by the fusion of five sacral vertebrae.

Coccyx

The small bone at the base of the vertebral column, commonly called the tailbone.

Spinous process

The bony projection off the back of each vertebra.

Transverse process

The bony projections on the sides of each vertebra.

Superior articular process

The projections that connect vertebrae together at the top.

Inferior articular process

The projections that connect vertebrae together at the bottom.

Lamina

The flattened part of a vertebra that bridges the gap between the spinous and transverse processes.

Pedicle

The part of a vertebra that connects the body to the posterior elements.

Body of vertebrae

The thick, disc-shaped anterior portion of a vertebra.

Vertebral foramen

The opening in a vertebra that houses the spinal cord.

Rib

The curved bones that form the ribcage.

Sternum

The flat bone located in the middle of the chest.

Manubrium

The upper part of the sternum.

Body of sternum

The long central part of the sternum.

Xiphoid process

The small pointed portion at the inferior end of the sternum.

Clavicle

The collarbone that connects the arm to the body.

Scapula

The shoulder blade.

Glenoid cavity (fossa)

The cavity in the scapula that receives the head of the humerus.

Acromion process

The bony process on the scapula that forms the highest point of the shoulder.

Coracoid process

A small hook-like structure on the scapula.

Scapular spine

The ridge of bone on the posterior surface of the scapula.

Humerus

The bone of the upper arm.

Trochlea

The spool-shaped structure on the humerus that articulates with the ulna.

Medial epicondyle

The bony prominence on the inner side of the humerus.

Lateral epicondyle

The bony prominence on the outer side of the humerus.

Olecranon fossa

The space on the humerus that receives the olecranon of the ulna.

Coronoid fossa

The depression in the humerus that receives the coronoid process of the ulna.

Capitulum

The rounded surface on the humerus that articulates with the radius.

Radius

The lateral bone of the forearm.

Radial tuberosity

The bony prominence on the radius for muscle attachment.

Ulna

The medial bone of the forearm.

Olecranon process

The bony prominence of the ulna that forms the elbow.

Coronoid process (ulna)

The projection of the ulna that forms part of the elbow joint.

Trochlear notch

The curve of the olecranon that fits around the trochlea of the humerus.

Carpals

The eight small bones that make up the wrist.

Metacarpals

The five bones that form the middle part of the hand.

Phalanges (hand)

The bones of the fingers.

Ilium

The largest bone of the pelvis.

Iliac crest

The upper curved margin of the ilium.

Sciatic notch

The indentation on the posterior side of the ilium.

Pubis

The frontal bone of the pelvis.

Acetabulum

The socket in the pelvis for the hip joint.

Ischium

The lower and back part of the pelvis.

Obturator foramen

The large opening in the pelvis formed by the pubis and ischium.

Femur

The thigh bone, the longest bone in the body.

Greater trochanter

A large bony prominence on the femur, serving as a muscle attachment site.

Lesser trochanter

A smaller bony prominence on the femur, also for muscle attachment.

Medial condyle

The rounded end of the femur that articulates with the tibia on the inner side.

Lateral condyle

The rounded end of the femur that articulates with the tibia on the outer side.

Patella

The kneecap, a small bone that protects the knee joint.

Tibia

The larger, medial bone of the lower leg.

Tibial tuberosity

The bony prominence on the tibia below the kneecap.

Medial malleolus

The bony knob on the inner side of the ankle, at the end of the tibia.

Fibula

The smaller bone of the lower leg, located lateral to the tibia.

Lateral malleolus

The bony knob on the outer side of the ankle, at the end of the fibula.

Calcaneus

The heel bone, which forms the foundation of the rear part of the foot.

Talus

The ankle bone that articulates with the tibia and fibula.

Tarsals

The seven bones that make up the ankle.

Metatarsals

The five long bones in the foot between the tarsals and phalanges.

Phalanges (foot)

The bones of the toes.