noun pl. stapes sta′·pes′ or stapedes sta·pe′des′ (stə pē′dēz′)
Anat. a small, stirrup-shaped bone, the innermost of a chain of three bones in the middle ear of mammals; stirrup
Etymology:
ModL < ML, a stirrup, prob. < Gmc, as in MDu stap, a step, Langobardic staffa, step, stirrup
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