Words with Webster: Vestibular, Plus Friendly Fill-Ins

We have two fun Friday features for you today. First up is Real Cat Webster, who has a sciencey word to share. After that, it’s on to Friendly Fill-Ins!

Words with Webster

Hi, everybody! It’s me, Real Cat Webster. Welcome to Words with Me. Today’s word is “vestibular.” I got the idea for this word from reading this study about cheetahs’ inner ears (okay, I only read the abstract and part of the introduction; Mommy said she’ll read more later and tell me about it). Turns out, the vestibular system of cheetahs is different from those of other cats, and this specialized system helps cheetahs keep their heads and vision stable while they’re chasing prey.

So what does “vestibular” mean? Well, that stuff about the cheetahs was a clue. According to my favorite dictionary, Merriam-Webster’s, “vestibular” means “of, relating to, or affecting the perception of body position and movement.” That is what the word means when we’re talking about anatomy.

Next I went to the Oxford English Dictionary, which says that our word means “of or pertaining to the vestibule of the ear or its function as an organ of equilibrium.” This first showed up in print in the 1830s:

The vestibular part of the membraneous labyrinth…is all that is really fundamental in the structure of an organ of hearing. (Todd’s Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology II.537/1, 1836–1839)

Okay, but if you’re like me (easily perplexed, or just really curious), you’re probably wondering what the heck a vestibule is. I checked that too, and Merriam-Webster’s said that it’s

any of various bodily cavities especially when serving as or resembling an entrance to some other cavity or space: such as a (1) :  the central cavity of the bony labyrinth of the ear.

So basically, it is the structure in your ear that helps you keep your balance. Basically, there are these semicircular canals, some fluid, little hairs, and some other stuff. If you want to find out more, you can check out this video from 2-Minute Neuroscience.

This illustration shows humans' inner ear anatomy. The vestibular
system includes the semicircular canals and vestibular apparatus.
Illustration via Adobe Stock.

But where did the word “vestibule” (and “vestibular”) come from? Well, the Online Etymology Dictionary says it is from the French vestible, which is from the Latin vestibulum, meaning “forecourt, entrance.’’ The word entered English in the 1620s and first meant “a porch.”

Next time you almost fall but then catch yourself and remain standing, thank your vestibular system (and remember that even if you're a cat, your system is different from a cheetah’s!).

Cheetahs run and change directions really fast when they're
hunting. They have a vestibular system that is unlike any other cats',
and it helps them keep their head steady and their eyes on their prey.

Friendly Fill-Ins

And now it’s time for Friendly Fill-Ins, from 15andmeowing and McGuffy’s Reader. They are a fun way to learn a little bit about the authors of the blogs you read. The first two questions, answered by old SoLT this week, are from Ellen of 15andmeowing, and the next two, answered by Real Cat Paisley, are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader.

Old SoLT’s answers:

1. The Winter Olympics are a lot of fun to watch, even though I don’t usually manage to see much of them.  

2. I think the most romantic movie (or book) is … well, I’m not all that into romance, so I don’t know. Monty Python’s The Holy Grail?

Real Cat Paisley’s answers:

3. Recently, I had an odd experience when the humans put the Christmas tree away and moved a rocking chair to where the tree used to be. It took me a few days to get used to that, but now I like it.

4. I believe that love is awesome, especially when Mommy tells me I’m her special little girl.