Hyoid bone

The hyoid bone (lingual bone or tongue-bone) is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage.

At rest, it lies at the level of the base of the mandible in the front and the third cervical vertebra (C3) behind.

Unlike other bones, the hyoid is only distantly articulated to other bones by muscles or ligaments.

The hyoid is anchored by muscles from the anterior, posterior and inferior directions, and aids in tongue movement and swallowing.

The hyoid bone provides attachment to the muscles of the floor of the mouth and the tongue above, the larynx below, and the epiglottis and pharynx behind.

Its name is derived from Greek hyoeides 'shaped like the letter upsilon (υ)'.