A horseshoe-shaped bone in the neck that supports the tongue and provides attachment for muscles involved in swallowing and speech. It's unique as the only bone in the human body that doesn't articulate with any other bone.
From Greek 'hyoeides' meaning U-shaped or resembling the letter upsilon (υ). The term reflects the bone's distinctive horseshoe appearance when viewed from above.
The hyoid bone is forensically famous because it often fractures during strangulation, making it crucial evidence in criminal investigations! It's also the reason you can feel your Adam's apple move when you swallow - it's anchored to this floating bone.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.