extra-ocular
|ex-tra-oc-u-lar|
🇺🇸
/ˌɛkstrəˈɑkjələr/
🇬🇧
/ˌɛkstrəˈɒkjʊlə(r)/
outside the eye
Etymology
'extra-ocular' originates from Latin: the prefix 'extra-' meaning 'outside' and 'oculus' meaning 'eye' (combined in modern medical/Neo-Latin formations).
'extra-ocular' was formed in Neo-Latin/medical Latin by combining 'extra-' + 'ocular' (from Latin 'oculus'); it entered modern English usage as the hyphenated or closed compound 'extra-ocular'/'extraocular'.
Initially it meant simply 'outside the eye' in Neo-Latin medical usage; this core meaning has been retained in modern English, used especially in anatomical and clinical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
situated or occurring outside the eyeball; external to the eye.
The surgeon checked for extra-ocular inflammation before operating.
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Adjective 2
relating to structures outside the eyeball, for example the extra-ocular muscles that control eye movement.
Extra-ocular muscles are essential for coordinating eye movement.
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Last updated: 2025/10/27 19:52