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meatus Definition

mea·tus (mē āt′əs)

noun pl. -·tuses or -·tus

a ductlike passage within the body or the external opening of such a passage, as in the ear, nose, or urethra

Etymology: LL, avenue of sensation in the body < L, a passage, pp. of meare, to go, pass < IE base *mei-, to go

meatus Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • urethral: No blood was present at the external urethral meatus.
  • auditory: This is the external auditory meatus in medical speak.
  • acoustic: The external ear consists of the auricle and the external acoustic meatus or ear canal.
  • inferior: The nasolacrimal duct connects the inferior end of the lacrimal sac to the inferior meatus of the nose.
  • middle: The middle turbinate has also been partly removed to show a bristle passed from the middle meatus into the antrum.
  • internal: Routine hematological and biochemical investigations were normal as was an MRI scan of her brain and internal acoustic meatus.