mastoid

Borrowed from New Latin mastoīdēs, from Ancient Greek μᾰστοειδής (măstoeidḗs, “like a breast”), from μᾰστός (măstós, “a woman's breast”) +‎ -ειδής (-eidḗs, “-like, -oid”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈmæ.stɔɪd/

• Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -æstɔɪd

mastoid (not comparable)

1. (anatomy) Being the process of the temporal bone behind the ear.
   1. (zootomy) Being any of several bony elements that occupy a similar position in the skull of lower vertebrates.
2. (anatomy) Of or relating to the mastoid process of the temporal bone.
3. (botany) Shaped like a nipple.
   • 1899, Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club, volumes 6-8, page 192:

     Spores tetrahedral, paraphyses mastoid-claviform, scales smooth, entire.

mastoid (plural mastoids)

1. (anatomy) Ellipsis of mastoid process.
2. (pathology, informal) Clipping of mastoiditis.

• mastoidal
• mastoidectomy
• mastoiditis

• “mastoid”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “mastoid”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

• diatoms