Useless fact
What is the bump on the ear opposite the tragus called?
The small cartilaginous bump on the outer ear located directly opposite the tragus is anatomically called the antitragus.
The external part of the human ear, known as the auricle or pinna, features several complex folds and ridges of cartilage. While many people are familiar with the lobe or the tragus—the small flap of cartilage that sits right in front of the ear canal—fewer know the name of the projection situated directly across from it. This feature is called the antitragus. It is a small, rounded cartilaginous tubercle located on the outer ear, rising just above the earlobe and positioned opposite the tragus. The term is derived from Greek and Latin roots, combining "anti" (meaning opposite) with "tragos" (which translates to goat, a reference to the hair that sometimes grows on this part of the ear, resembling a goat's beard). Anatomically, the antitragus plays a role in channeling sound waves into the external auditory meatus and serves as an important landmark in auricular acupuncture and reconstructive surgery.
Why this is true — The term is widely documented in medical and general dictionaries as the anatomical name for the projection opposite the tragus.
Sources
- antitrago | Diccionario de la lengua española Real Academia Española