A thin, flat bone that forms the posterior part of the nasal septum, helping to separate the left and right nasal cavities. It articulates with the sphenoid and ethmoid bones above and the maxilla below.
From Latin 'vomer' meaning plowshare, named for its resemblance to the blade of a plow. Ancient anatomists chose this term because of the bone's flat, blade-like appearance.
The vomer bone is perfectly named - it really does look like an ancient farming tool! When it's deviated or damaged, it can cause chronic breathing problems, explaining why some people always seem to breathe through their mouth.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.