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A U-shaped bone (in superior view), forming the lower jaw, articulating by its upturned extremities with the temporal bone on either side. SYN: mandibula [TA], jaw bone, lower jaw, mandibulum, submaxilla.
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man·di·ble 'man-də-bəl n
b) the lower jaw with its investing soft parts
2) any of various invertebrate mouthparts serving to hold or bite food materials esp either member of the anterior pair of mouth appendages of an arthropod often forming strong biting jaws
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n.
the lower jawbone. It consists of a horseshoe-shaped body, the upper surface of which bears the lower teeth (see alveolus), and two vertical parts (rami). Each ramus divides into a condyle and a coronoid process. The condyle articulates with the temporal bone of the cranium to form the temporomandibular joint (a hinge joint). See also maxilla, skull.
• mandibular adj.
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man·di·ble (manґdĭ-bəl) mandibula.Medical dictionary. 2011.