/huy"oyd/ , Anat., Zool.
adj.
1. Also, hyoidal, hyoidean . noting or pertaining to a U-shaped bone at the root of the tongue in humans, or a corresponding bone or collection of bones in animals.
n.
2. the hyoid bone. See diag. under larynx .
[ 1700-10; hyoïdes hyoeidés, shaped like the letter hypsilon (i.e. upsilon), equiv. to hy- (deriv. of letter name hy, var. of y; see UPSILON) + -oeides -OID ]