You searched for: “xiphoid”
xiphoid
1. Sword-shaped; ensiform (having sharp edges and tapering to a slender point, having a shape suggesting a sword).
2. The pointed process of cartilage, supported by a core of bone, connected with the lower end of the body of the sternum.
This entry is located in the following units: -oid, -oidal, -oidism, -odic (page 21) xipho-, xiphi-, xiph- (page 1)
Word Entries containing the term: “xiphoid”
xiphoid process
Composed of cartilage at the inferior aspect of the sternal body.

A pointed cartilage attached to the lower end of the breastbone or sternum, the smallest and lowest division of the sternum. Cartilaginous early in life, it may become ossified (bony) in adults. It is sometimes simply called the xiphoid. Also known as the ensiform cartilage or process.

The ancient Greeks thought the xiphoid looked like the tip of a sword. The word xiphoid is from the Greek xiphos, "straight sword" plus eidos, "like" resulting in "straight sword". Ensiform is from the Latin ensis, "sword" plus forma, "shape" equals "sword shape".

This entry is located in the following units: -cede, -ceed, -cess, -cease (page 8) -oid, -oidal, -oidism, -odic (page 22) xipho-, xiphi-, xiph- (page 1)