incus
UK[ˈɪŋkəs]US[ˈɪŋkəs]
n
a small anvil-shaped bone in the middle ear, transmitting vibrations from the malleus to the stapes.
Etymology
the word 'incus' is a direct borrowing from latin, where it means "anvil." it was adopted into anatomical terminology in the new latin of the 17th century to describe the shape of this middle ear bone. the latin term itself is derived from the verb 'incudere,' meaning "to forge with a hammer," which is composed of 'in-' (in, on) and 'cudere' (to strike, beat). the term's journey from a blacksmith's tool to a precise anatomical structure is a classic example of metaphor in scientific nomenclature, based purely on visual resemblance.
Analysis
this is a simplex loanword from latin. it is not productively segmented in modern english.
Examples
the incus is one of the three ossicles in the human middle ear.
sound waves cause the malleus to move, which in turn sets the incus into motion.
a rare congenital condition can involve malformation of the incus.