Tympanic bone

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

tympanic bone
    n 1: the bone enclosing the middle ear

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Tympanic \Tym*pan"ic\ (?; 277), a. [See {Tympanum}.]
   1. Like a tympanum or drum; acting like a drumhead; as, a
      tympanic membrane.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the tympanum.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Tympanic bone} (Anat.), a bone of the skull which incloses a
      part of the tympanum and supports the tympanic membrane.
      

   {Tympanic membrane}. (Anat.) See the Note under {Ear}.
      [1913 Webster]