mandible
noun
man·di·ble
ˈman-də-bəl 
1
a
: jaw sense 1a
especially
: a lower jaw consisting of a single bone or of completely fused bones
b
: the lower jaw with its investing soft parts
c
: either the upper or lower segment of the bill of a bird
2
: any of various invertebrate mouthparts serving to hold or bite food materials
especially
: either member of the anterior pair of mouth appendages of an arthropod often forming strong biting jaws
Examples of mandible in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That calls for a little extra creativity from its mom — and the movie’s narrator (Emilia Clarke) — who wriggles her mandibles and gets to work embellishing upon what Dahl imagined.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Similar to a mouthguard, a MAD holds the lower jaw (mandible) and tongue forward, keeping the airway open.
—New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
The front ants bent their legs and pulled hard at the leaf tip with their mandibles while the rear ants held the leaf still.
—Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2025
Harrell said that detectives informed him that other remains were found near the creek that’s located behind the business, including multiple bones and a detached mandible, the outlet reported.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mandible
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Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
Similar to a mouthguard, a MAD holds the lower jaw (mandible) and tongue forward, keeping the airway open.
—New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
The front ants bent their legs and pulled hard at the leaf tip with their mandibles while the rear ants held the leaf still.
—Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2025
Harrell said that detectives informed him that other remains were found near the creek that’s located behind the business, including multiple bones and a detached mandible, the outlet reported.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mandible
Cite this Entry
“Mandible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mandible. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mandible
noun
man·di·ble
ˈman-də-bəl
1
a(1)
: a lower jaw of a vertebrate consisting of a single bone or of bones that are completely united
(2)
: the lower jaw with its surrounding soft parts
b
: either the upper or lower part of the bill of a bird
2
: either of the first pair of mouthparts of some invertebrates and especially arthropods (as an insect or crustacean) that often form biting organs
Medical Definition
mandible
noun
man·di·ble
ˈman-də-bəl
1
a
: jaw sense 1
especially
: jaw sense 1b
b
: the lower jaw with its investing soft parts
2
: any of various invertebrate mouthparts serving to hold or bite food materials
especially
: either member of the anterior pair of mouth appendages of an arthropod often forming strong biting jaws
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