What is "palatine bone"

n. (context anatomy English) Either of the two bones that make up the hard palate and situated at the rear of the nasal cavity.

n. either of two irregularly shaped bones that form the back of the hard palate and helps to form the nasal cavity and the floor of the orbits [syn: palatine, os palatinum]

The palatine bones are two irregular bones of the facial skeleton in many animal species. Together with the maxillae they comprise the hard palate. (Palate is derived from Latin palatum which is unrelated to palatium 'palace', from which other senses of palatine derive).