quijadas

Quijadas is the plural form of quijada, a Spanish noun meaning jaw. In anatomy, quijadas refer to the mandibles, the paired lower jaws of vertebrates including humans. Each quijada is a curved bone with a body and ramus, housing the teeth and forming the temporomandibular joint with the skull. The quijadas enable chewing, speaking, and facial expression, and are moved by muscles such as the masseter and temporalis. Disorders of the jaw, such as temporomandibular joint disorders, can affect quijadas.

In music, quijada also denotes a percussion instrument made from the dried jawbone of an animal, commonly a donkey (donkey jawbone or quijada de burro), though sometimes from horse or cow. The instrument produces a dry, rasping sound when the inner surface is struck or rubbed against the teeth or a stick. It is used in various Latin American and Caribbean musical styles, including Afro-Peruvian and Andean ensembles, often alongside other percussion instruments.

Beyond anatomy and music, quijadas appears as a common noun in Spanish for jaws and can function as a surname. It may also appear in place names or cultural references in Spanish-speaking regions.