Mentum – Meaning and Usage in Medical English

Header: “Mentum – The Medical Term for Chin” on medical banner
medical illustration of the chin labeled as mentum, showing the front part of the jawline

👁 What Does “Mentum” Mean?

Mentum refers to the lower front part of the face, commonly known as the chin.

The word comes from Latin, meaning “chin” or “projection.”

In anatomical terms, it’s part of the mandible (lower jawbone) and forms the prominent point of the jawline.


🔍 Clinical Usage

In clinical documentation, you’ll often see “mentum” used when describing trauma, swelling, or alignment of the lower jaw — especially in emergency or dental contexts.

For example, doctors may note:

“Mild swelling and tenderness over the mentum.”

This precise wording helps distinguish chin-related findings from nearby areas such as the mandibular angle or submental region.


🎥 Watch the Short Video

👉 Watch our 30-second clip: Beard – Learn how to pronounce it and remember how it’s used in real medical English.


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