Sternocleidomastoid
//ˌstɜː.nə(ʊ)ˌklʌɪ.də(ʊ)ˈma.stɔɪd// adj, noun
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Ellipsis of sternocleidomastoid muscle. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
- 2 one of two thick muscles running from the sternum and clavicle to the mastoid and occipital bone; turns head obliquely to the opposite side; when acting together they flex the neck and extend the head wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Relating to or involving the sternum, the clavicle and the mastoid process of the temporal bone. not-comparable
- 2 Of or pertaining to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. not-comparable
Example
More examples"The sternocleidomastoid is used as a landmark for insertion of a central venous catheter."
Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin sternocleidomastoīdēs, from Latin sternum (“the breastbone”) + Ancient Greek κλείς (kleís, “the collarbone”) + Latin mastoīdēs (“like a breast”), equivalent to sterno- + cleido- + mastoid.
Related phrases
More for "sternocleidomastoid"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.