Occipitals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Relating to the back part of the head, especially in connection with the skull or brain structure
2. Pertaining to the area or function associated with the occipital lobe, which is responsible for visual processing
3. Describing the anatomy or aspects related to the occipital region of the skull, significant for its role in vision and sensory perception

Etymology: The word "occipitals" is simply the plural of "occipital," used as a noun for the bones or muscles at the back of the skull. Its root is "occiput," the Latin term for the back of the head, which combines "ob-" (against, toward) with "caput" (head), so the literal sense is roughly "that which faces the head," the part of the head that is turned away from the viewer. "Occipital" was formed in Medieval Latin as "occipitalis" by adding the adjectival suffix "-alis," the same ending found in words like "mental" and "dental." The adjective passed into French as "occipital" and then into English, where it kept the same shape and meaning. English speakers therefore use the Latin skeleton almost unchanged, with the French form serving as the bridge.

Synonyms: occipital bones