— stapedial /steuh pee"dee euhl/ , adj.
/stay"peez/ , n. , pl. stapes, stapedes /steuh pee"deez/ . Anat.
the innermost, stirrup-shaped bone of a chain of three small bones in the middle ear of humans and other mammals, involved in the conduction of sound vibrations to the inner ear. Also called stirrup . Cf. incus (def. 1), malleus . See diag. under ear .
[ 1660-70; stapes, ML: stirrup, perh. etymologizing alter. of It staffa stirrup ( stare to stand, and pes, s. ped - FOOT ]