The middle of the three ossicles in the middle ear; it has a body and two limbs or processes (long crus of i. and short crus of i.); at the tip of the long crus is a small knob, the lenticular process, which articulates with the head of the stapes. SYN: anvil. [L. anvil]
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in·cus 'iŋ-kəs n, pl in·cu·des iŋ-'kyüd-(.)ēz, 'iŋ-kyə-.dēz the middle bone of the chain of three ossicles in the middle ear of a mammal resembling a premolar tooth with the body having a facet which articulates with the malleus and with the longer of the two widely separated crura having a process which articulates with the stapes called also ambos, anvil
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n.
a small anvil-shaped bone in the middle ear that articulates with the malleus and the stapes. See ossicle.
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in·cus (ingґkəs) gen. incuґdis [L. “anvilâ€] [TA] the middle of the three ossicles of the ear, which, with the stapes and malleus, serves to conduct vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the internal ear. Called also anvil. See illustration at ossicula auditus, under ossiculum. incudal adjMedical dictionary. 2011.