semicircular canals
nounUK /ˌsɛmiˈsɜːkjʊlə kəˈnælz/
US /ˌsɛmiˈsɜːrkjələr kəˈnælz/
Three tiny curved tubes inside your ear that help you keep your balance.
When you spin around and feel dizzy, your semicircular canals are sending mixed signals to your brain.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The three fluid-filled loops of the bony labyrinth in the inner ear.
The semicircular canals are part of the bony labyrinth.
3. Sensory structures that detect rotational movement of the head.
Each semicircular canal senses rotation in a different plane.
4. Anatomical channels named for their partial-circle shape.
Doctors studied the semicircular canals to understand vertigo.