lunate bone

6.3

A small bone in the middle of the wrist shaped like a half moon that helps hand movement

noun
/ˈluːneɪt boʊn/

Specialized

: hueso lunado

The lunate bone is centrally located in the wrist and helps with hand movement.

Examples

Did you know that the lunate bone is shaped like a crescent?
On the X-ray, the doctor identified a dislocation of the lunate bone.
Fractures of the lunate bone are rare but can lead to chronic wrist pain if untreated.
The lunate bone is crucial for wrist mobility.
Fractures of the lunate bone are rare but can lead to chronic wrist pain if untreated.
On the X-ray, the doctor identified a dislocation of the lunate bone.
The lunate bone is centrally located in the wrist and helps with hand movement.

Synonyms

semilunar bone

vslunate bone

Specialized

6.5

A moon-shaped bone in the middle of the wrist among other small bones

is the more common anatomical name for the same carpal bone

os lunatum

vslunate bone

Specialized

9.9

A small bone in the wrist near the middle of the first row of bones

is the same bone but defined by its half-moon shape rather than position

Surface Forms

lunate bone singular

lunate bones plural

Morphology

lunate + bone

The phrase is directly compositional: 'lunate' means moon-shaped and 'bone' is a bone, so together they denote a moon-shaped bone (matching the carpal bone definition). This adjective+noun naming pattern is common in anatomy and cross-linguistically, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun lunate bone comes from the old word lunate, from 'luna' meaning 'moon', because this small bone in the wrist is curved like a half-moon. That's why the name helps you remember its shape and where it sits in the wrist.