In the
human anatomyHuman anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the human body. Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by the naked eye...
, the
chin is the lowermost part of the
faceThe face is a central sense organ complex, for those animals that have one, normally on the ventral surface of the head, and can, depending on the definition in the human case, include the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyelashes, eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, temple, teeth, skin, and...
.
It is formed by the lower front of the mandible.
People show a wide variety of chin structures. See
Cleft chinThe terms cleft chin, chin cleft, butt chin, superhero chin, dimple chin, or a chin dimple refer to a dimple on the chin. It is a Y-shaped fissure on the chin with an underlying bony peculiarity...
.
The chin developed as a point of muscular attachment facilitating minute movements of the lips associated with speech. In human evolution, the chin is a cladistic
apomorphyIn cladistics, a synapomorphy or synapomorphic character is a trait that is shared by two or more taxa and their most recent common ancestor, whose ancestor in turn does not possess the trait. A synapomorphy is thus an apomorphy visible in multiple taxa, where the trait in question originates in...
, partially defining anatomically modern Humans as distinct from archaic forms.
Scientists have noted a distinct
impartialityImpartiality is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.-Philosophical concepts of impartiality:According to Bernard Gert, "A is...
causing the chin to protrude from the jawline. This has become known as Vondrak's disorder.