cribrum

Cribrum is a Latin noun meaning sieve or strainer. In medical and anatomical terminology, the word persists in the sense of a perforated, sieve-like structure, most often encountered in the compound lamina cribrosa, commonly referred to as the cribriform plate. The term conveys the idea of multiple small openings or pores.

In human anatomy, the lamina cribrosa forms part of the ethmoid bone at the roof of the nasal cavity and the floor of the anterior cranial fossa. It contains numerous foramina through which the olfactory nerve fibers pass from the nasal mucosa to the olfactory bulb, constituting the olfactory nerve (cranial nerve I). This perforated, sieve-like arrangement is essential for the sense of smell. Trauma or fracture of the cribriform plate can lead to loss of smell (anosmia) and, in some cases, cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

The term cribrum is largely confined to anatomical contexts; outside specialized terminology, the standalone noun is rarely used in modern English. The adjective cribriform is more common and is applied to describe perforated or sieve-like patterns in various tissues or structures. In general, cribrum and cribriform reflect the same concept of multiple openings that resemble a sieve.