postorbital
|post-or-bi-tal|
🇺🇸
/ˌpoʊstˈɔɹbɪtəl/
🇬🇧
/pəʊstˈɔːbɪt(ə)l/
behind the eye socket
Etymology
'postorbital' originates from Latin elements: the prefix 'post-' (Latin 'post') meaning 'after, behind', combined with 'orbital' ultimately from Late Latin 'orbita' meaning 'track, wheel' (later used for the eye socket area).
'postorbital' developed as a compound of Latin-derived 'post-' + Medieval/Modern Latin anatomical use 'postorbitalis' (meaning 'behind the orbit'), and entered English in anatomical and paleontological usage as 'postorbital'.
Initially formed to indicate position 'after/behind the orbit'; over time it became specialized in anatomy and paleontology to name either the region behind the eye socket or a specific bone there.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
anatomy: a bone or bony region located immediately behind the orbit (found in some vertebrates); the postorbital bone or postorbital process.
The dinosaur fossil preserved a well-developed postorbital on the skull.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/07 05:25