málbein
Icelandic
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From mál (“speech”) + bein (“bone”).
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]málbein n (genitive singular málbeins, nominative plural málbein)
- (anatomy) hyoid bone
- Synonym: tungubein
- Used in set phrases.
Usage notes
[edit]- Generally used in singular accusative with definite article (málbeinið (“the speech bone”)) in the set phrase einhverjum er liðugt um málbeinið (“to be glib”).[1]
Declension
[edit]| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | málbein | málbeinið | málbein | málbeinin |
| accusative | málbein | málbeinið | málbein | málbeinin |
| dative | málbeini | málbeininu | málbeinum | málbeinunum |
| genitive | málbeins | málbeinsins | málbeina | málbeinanna |
Derived terms
[edit]- láta málbeinið ganga (“to chatter glibly”)
- vera liðugt um málbeinið (“to be a smooth talker, to be glib”)