maxilla
noun
- upper jawbone formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones; includes the frontal portion of the palate of the mouth
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /mækˈsɪl.ə/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English, from Latin māxilla (“the jawbone, jaw”), diminutive of māla (“the cheekbone, jaw”).
- Synonym of jaw.
- Synonym of jaw.
- One of the first or second pair of mouthparts posterior to the mandibles in many arthropods that are used for tasting and manipulating food.