Stapes

Stapes
Frontal view of stapes (A), and view from below (B).
Details
Pronunciation	/ˈsteɪpiːz/
Precursor	Second branchial arch
Part of	Middle ear
System	Auditory system
Articulations	Incudostapedial joint
Identifiers
Latin	'stapes'
MeSH	D013199
TA98	A15.3.02.033
TA2	895
FMA	52751
Anatomical terms of bone [edit on Wikidata]

This article is one of a series documenting the anatomy of the
Human ear
Outer ear Auricle Ear canal
Middle ear Tympanic membrane Ossicles Malleus Incus Stapes
Inner ear Vestibules Utricle Saccule Cochlea Semicircular canals
v t e

The stapes or stirrup is a bone in the middle ear of humans and other tetrapods which is involved in the conduction of sound vibrations to the inner ear. This bone is connected to the oval window by its annular ligament, which allows the footplate (or base) to transmit sound energy through the oval window into the inner ear. The stapes is the smallest and lightest bone in the human body, and is so-called because of its resemblance to a stirrup (Latin: Stapes).