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Glite Dictionary
⚙️ A mechanical connector 🤚 A finger joint
knuckle joint

knuckle joint

5.2
The place on a finger where two bones meet, visible when making a fist
  • noun
  • /ˈnʌkəl dʒɔɪnt/
translation icon : nudillo
  • Arthritis can sometimes cause swelling and pain in the knuckle joints.

Examples

  • The boxer suffered a minor injury to his right knuckle joint after the match.

  • He cracked his knuckle joint absentmindedly while waiting for the meeting to start.

  • He injured his knuckle joint while playing basketball.

  • My knuckle joints are sore after the workout.

  • After an intense workout, he felt pain in his knuckle joint as he closed his fist.

  • She noticed a small bump on her knuckle joint that made it difficult to grip things.

  • The doctor examined his knuckle joint for signs of arthritis during the appointment.

Synonyms

knuckle
vsknuckle joint
134 1.8

A joint on a finger that sticks out when you make a fist

is the broader name for such finger joints visible when fist is closed
metacarpophalangeal joint
vsknuckle joint
  • Specialized
1 8.8

The place where a finger meets the hand at its base

is the general visible finger joint term rather than the precise anatomical name

Surface Forms

knuckle joint singular
knuckle joints plural

Morphology

knuckle + joint

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'knuckle' (the visible bump at a finger joint) plus 'joint' (where bones articulate), so together they denote the finger joint that forms a knuckle. This straightforward noun–noun compounding follows normal English composition patterns and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Knuckle joint is named after the visible bump on the hand: when you make a fist the finger bones and the knuckle form a movable joint. That's why knuckle joint means 'the finger joint' where the finger bends'.