otolith
noun
oto·lith
| \ ˈō-tə-ˌlith
\
\
Definition of otolith
: a calcareous concretion in the inner ear of a vertebrate or in the otocyst of an invertebrate
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Other Words from otolith
otolithic
\ ˌō-tə-ˈli-thik
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of otolith in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The researchers then used a microscope to count the growth rings on each slice of otolith. — Sean Landsman, National Geographic, "112-year-old fish has broken a longevity record," 2 Aug. 2019 Changes to otolith size could affect fish hearing and orientation, researchers say. — Elizabeth Preston, Science | AAAS, "A growing sensory smog threatens the ability of fish to communicate, navigate, and survive," 20 June 2019 Under extreme high carbon dioxide conditions, the ocean acidifies, affecting, among other things, the development of a fish’s otoliths, or ear bones. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "What Will Be the Last Fish?," 10 Dec. 2018 In those individuals, Balaban says, further tests implicated damage to the ear's otolith organs, the utricle and the saccule, key to sensing gravity. — Richard Stone, Science | AAAS, "Sonic attack or mass paranoia? New evidence stokes debate over diplomats’ mysterious illness," 20 June 2018 Determining a bony fish's age can be easily done by analyzing their otoliths, or ear stones. — National Geographic, "272-Year-Old Shark Is Longest-Lived Vertebrate on Earth," 11 Aug. 2016These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'otolith.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for otolith
otolith
noun
oto·lith
| \ ˈōt-ᵊl-ˌith
\
\
Medical Definition of otolith
: a calcareous concretion in the inner ear of a vertebrate or in the otocyst of an invertebrate that is especially conspicuous in many bony fishes where it forms a hard body and in most of the higher vertebrates where it is represented by a mass of small calcareous otoconia
— called also statolith
Other Words from otolith
otolithic
\ ˌōt-ᵊl-ˈith-ik
\
adjective
\
adjective