MANDIBLE

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin mandibula, from Latin mandere to chew; probably akin to Greek masasthai to chew Date: 15th century 1. jaw 1a, the lower jaw with its investing soft parts, either the upper or lower segment of the bill of a bird, any of various invertebrate mouthparts serving to hold or bite food materials, mandibular adjective mandibulate adjective