The sphenoid bone consists of a central body, paired medial and lateral pterygoid plates as well as paired greater and lesser wings. Nerves and vessels pass through its many foramina.

The lesser wings form the back of the anterior cranial fossa and contain the optic canals (for CN II). Between the lesser and greater wings are the superior orbital fissures (for CN III, IV, VI).

The body and greater wings form the centre of the middle cranial fossa. The greater wings also contribute to the lateral wall of the skull and posterior bony orbit; they contain anteromedially the foramen rotundum (for CN Va), posteromedially the foramen ovale (for CN Vb) and posterolaterally the foramen spinosum (for the medial meningeal artery).

The body houses the pituitary gland in a cavity known as the sella turica bounded anteriorly by the anterior clinoid processes (of the lesser wings) and posteriorly by the dorsum sellae and posterior clinoid processes. The pituitary (hypophyseal) fossa forms the floor of the sella turica, beneath which are the sphenoid sinuses (a paranasal sinus) that open into the sphenoethmoidal recess of the nasal cavity.

Medial and lateral pterygoid plates extend inferiorly and serve as attachments. From the medial plates attach the pharyngeal aponeurosis and the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Each lateral pterygoid muscle originates from a lateral plate.