Maxilla

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Maxilla \Max*il"la\, n.; pl. {Maxillae}. [L., dim. of mala jaw,
     jawbone.]
     1. (Anat.)
        (a) The bone of either the upper or the under jaw.
        (b) The bone, or principal bone, of the upper jaw, the
            bone of the lower jaw being the mandible. [Now


            commonly used in this restricted sense.]
            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) One of the lower or outer jaws of arthropods.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: There are usually two pairs in Crustacea and one pair
           in insects. In certain insects they are not used as
           jaws, but may form suctorial organs. See Illust. under
           {Lepidoptera}, and {Diptera}.
           [1913 Webster] Maxillar

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  maxilla
       n : the upper jawbone in vertebrates; it is fused to the cranium
           [syn: {upper jaw}, {upper jawbone}]
       [also: {maxillae} (pl)]