[a. L. vōmer ploughshare.]
1. Anat. A small thin bone forming the posterior part of the partition between the nostrils in man and most vertebrate animals.
1704. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., I. Vomer, is a Bone situated in the middle of the lower part of the Nose.
1726. Monro, Anat. Bones, 158. The Vomer divides the Nostrils, [and] enlarges the Organ of Smelling.
1758. J. S., Le Dran’s Observ. Surg. (1771), 26. I … found that the Roots of the Polypus adhered to the Vomer.
1831. R. Knox, Cloquet’s Anat., 66. The Vomer is an azygous bone, situated in the median line,… forming the posterior part of the septum of the nasal fossæ.
1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 23. The skull of the Common Fowl differs from that of the Common Pigeon … in its possession of a rudimentary vomer.
2. Ichthyol. A bone forming the front part of the roof of the mouth, and often bearing teeth.
1828. Stark, Elem. Nat. Hist., I. 405. Many pointed teeth along both jaws, the palate, and the tongue, but none on the vomer.
1854. Badham, Halieut., 170. The next, or fourth family of the Acanthopterygii … differ in not having teeth on either vomer or palate.
1888. Goode, Amer. Fishes, 469. Brook Trouts,… distinguished from the true Salmons by a peculiar arrangement of teeth on the vomer.
3. Ornith. The large terminal bone in the tail of most birds; the pygostyle.
1872. Coues, N. Amer. Birds, 37. The bones are few … and short, not projecting beyond the general plumage, and the last one, called coccyx or vomer,… is large and singularly shaped.
