MANDIBLE


Meaning of MANDIBLE in English

ˈmandəbəl, -aan- noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle French, from Late Latin mandibula, from Latin mandere to chew — more at mouth

1.

a. : jaw 1a ; especially : a lower jaw consisting of a single bone or completely fused bones

b. : the lower jaw with its investing soft parts — see fish illustration

c. : either the upper or lower segment of the bill of a bird

2. : any of various invertebrate mouthparts serving to hold or bite into food materials: as

a. : either member of the anterior part of mouth appendages of an arthropod often forming strong biting jaws

b. : one of the paired corneous or calcified cutting plates on the proboscis of certain polychaete worms

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.