Mastoid
/ˈmæs.tɔɪd/noun
Resembling the breast or nipple; especially relating to the mastoid process behind the ear.
Did you know?Mastoid comes from Greek mastoeidēs, a word built from mastos, meaning “breast” or “nipple,” plus -oidēs, “resembling,” so the anatomy is literally named for a body shape.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
mastoeidēs
“breast-shaped; nipple-like”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mastos
“breast; nipple”
Late Greek
Greek
-oidēs
“resembling; having the form of”
18th Century
English
mastoid
“anatomical term for a breast-shaped projection behind the ear”
Modern English
English
mastoid
“the mastoid process and related structures behind the ear”
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