Hyoid bone
Learning objectives:
This study unit will help you to:
- Identify the bony landmarks of the hyoid bone.
- List the muscles that attach to the hyoid bone.
- Name the cartilages, membranes, and ligaments that are adjacent to the hyoid bone.
Watch videos
The hyoid bone is a small U-shaped bone located in the anterior neck between the epiglottis and the thyroid cartilage. It does not articulate directly with other bones, but instead is connected to adjacent bones via muscles and ligaments. The hyoid bone serves as an attachment site for the muscles of the floor of the mouth, tongue, larynx, epiglottis, and pharynx.
Together with these muscles, the hyoid bone assists in movements, such as opening the jaw, articulating, swallowing, and coughing.
The following video will provide you with an overview of the hyoid bone and its adjacent structures.
Take a quiz
Now that you have watched the video, test your acquired knowledge with our quiz.
For a broader overview, take our custom quiz about the structures of the neck, and choose the topics or individual terms that you want to be tested on.
Browse atlas
:watermark(/images/watermark_5000_10percent.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/overview_image/1162/NkmPUNgVDBOJXNt8tkjB4w_hyoid_bone_english.jpg){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_5000_10percent.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/overview_image/1238/o3xjNijjgipxmBKy6zPGg_anterior-neck-muscles_english.jpg){kind=logo}
Explore the hyoid bone and surrounding structures in this atlas gallery:
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/hyoid-bone-2/eWvJHS92VJMuz7nAxHmNkg_Hyoid_Bone_copy.png "Hyoid bone (Os hyoideum); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/body-of-hyoid-1/Op6QJIqWZEpkgEd5FcAfQ_body_of_hyoid.png "Body of hyoid bone (Corpus ossis hyoidei); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/greater-horn-of-hyoid-bone-1/rDmLuNTUmWHKwhfHGFgYxA_greater_cornu.png "Greater horn of hyoid bone (Cornu majus ossis hyoidei); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/lesser-horn-of-hyoid/YmBizpqHOWOOfy7OhQMbVw_lesser_cornu.png "Lesser horn of hyoid bone (Cornu minus ossis hyoidei); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/epiglottis-9/5XKTK4wRsgkfzvutOzClsw_epiglottis.png "Epiglottis; Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/thyrohyoid-membrane-1/BCSuxIWZG02JfbX0ELmKw_Thyrohyoid_membrane_.png "Thyrohyoid membrane (Membrana thyrohyoidea); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/thyroid-cartilage-5/m35rP657X3TKs80Uzh3wVA_Thyroid_cartilage_.png "Thyroid cartilage (Cartilago thyroidea); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/cricothyroid-muscle-1/qf1rES0hEYHXI99l8gE6A_cricothyroid_muscle.png "Cricothyroid muscle (Musculus cricothyroideus); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/median-cricothyroid-ligament-4/Rf10KiGwkdoFNUhYBezUw_cricothyroid_ligament.png "Median cricothyroid ligament (Ligamentum cricothyroideum medianum); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/cricoid-cartilage-6/0Rt5eJuFoYU2zbgvkaKZA_cricoid_cartilage.png "Cricoid cartilage (Cartilago cricoidea); Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/trachea-15/ketA6nqHUT6tMRTdjqsKjA_trachea-15.png "Trachea; Image: Irina Münstermann"){kind=logo}
The following gallery will provide you with an overview of the different muscles attaching to the hyoid bone:
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-geniohyoideus/7uZPdqaDO03zjelA32VGw_Musculus_geniohyoideus_01.png "Geniohyoid muscle (Musculus geniohyoideus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-mylohyoideus/2bsbsqhogtuMMPnDBwRSMQ_Musculus_mylohyoideus_01.png "Mylohyoid muscle (Musculus mylohyoideus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-digastricus/4nYkZogZLnJ06Bumz9FiWw_Digastric_muscle.png "Digastric muscle (Musculus digastricus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-stylohyoideus/CLgDYy3hpAMaQVbqmE9wg_Stylohyoid_2.png "Stylohyoid muscle (Musculus stylohyoideus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/middle-pharyngeal-constrictor-muscle-1/DySQVcpyLCdLxl3eJIVw_middle_pharyngeal_constrictor.png "Middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle (Musculus constrictor medius pharyngis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-genioglossus/1dXMvPYyRQ7di1IF3lhQ_Genioglossus_muscle_01.png "Genioglossus muscle (Musculus genioglossus); Image: Begoña Rodriguez"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/hyoglossus-muscle-4/dUXwvvFwEOEg7Zvs5AdA_hypoglossus.png "Hyoglossus muscle (Musculus hyoglossus); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-sternohyoideus/hJ8CPhXAmU7voTi5gUnow_Sternohyoid_isolated.png "Sternohyoid muscle (Musculus sternohyoideus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-omohyoideus/OGH8t48WXn5iNaHUiuoWg_Omohyoid_isolated.png "Omohyoid muscle (Musculus omohyoideus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/musculus-thyrohyoideus/MxS83HbZhxBSzQiR4OIXA_Thyrohyoid_exposed.png "Thyrohyoid muscle (Musculus thyrohyoideus); Image: Yousun Koh"){kind=logo}
Summary
| Parts | Central body, two lesser horns and two greater horns |
| Attaching muscles | Suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles, certain pharyngeal muscles, and extrinsic tongue muscles |
| Function | Aids in opening the jaw, speaking, swallowing, and coughing |
Well done!
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