parietal

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   relating to either of the two bones forming the upper sides and roof of the skull

   The impact fractured the left parietal bone.

2. 2
   adj

   anatomy: relating to the wall of a body cavity or organ rather than its contents

   Parietal cells in the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid.

3. 3
   noun

   either parietal bone of the skull

   The right parietal was intact despite the injury.

From Latin parietalis, 'of a wall,' from paries, 'wall.' Anatomy applied the word both to structures forming the wall of a cavity and to the paired skull bones that form much of the cranium's upper side.

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