Icicle vs. Ossicle — What's the Difference?

An icicle is a spike of ice formed when water falling from an object freezes.

A small bone, especially one of the three bones of the middle ear.

A tapering spike of ice formed by the freezing of dripping or falling water.

(anatomy) A small bone (or bony structure), especially one of the three of the middle ear.

(Informal) An aloof or emotionally unresponsive person.

(zoology) Bone-like joint or plate, especially:

A drooping, tapering shape of ice.

One of numerous small calcareous structures forming the skeleton of certain echinoderms, as the starfishes;

A pendent, and usually conical, mass of ice, formed by freezing of dripping water; as, the icicles on the eaves of a house.

One of the hard articuli or joints of the stem or branches of a crinoid or encrinite;

A pendent spear of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water

One of the several small hard chitinous parts or processes of the gastric skeleton of crustaceans, as in the stomach of a lobster or crawfish.

The skeleton of echinoderms is made of ossicles, linked to each other via muscles and connective tissue.

A little bone; as, the auditory ossicles in the tympanum of the ear.

One of numerous small calcareous structures forming the skeleton of certain echinoderms, as the starfishes.

A small bone; especially one in the middle ear