unciform bone
- noun
- /ˈʌn.sɪ.fɔrm boʊn/
- Archaic
:
hueso unciforme
- The unciform bone is located on the ulnar side of the wrist, near the little finger.
Examples
-
During the surgery, the doctor carefully examined the unciform bone for any signs of damage.
-
A fracture of the unciform bone is rare but can occur in athletes who use racquets.
-
The unciform bone is essential for wrist movement.
-
He fractured his unciform bone during a sports accident.
-
A fracture of the unciform bone is rare but can occur in athletes who use racquets.
-
During the surgery, the doctor carefully examined the unciform bone for any signs of damage.
-
The unciform bone is located on the ulnar side of the wrist, near the little finger.
Synonyms
1
9.8
A small wedge-shaped bone on the outer side of the wrist near the little finger
A hook-shaped bone in the wrist near the little and ring fingers
A small bone on the outer side of the wrist next to the little finger with a hook-like part
Surface Forms
Morphology
unciform + bone
The phrase is compositionally built from 'unciform' (literally hook-shaped) + 'bone', so a learner who knows both constituents could infer it refers to a hook-shaped bone. However, 'unciform' is a rare/specialized term and the compound denotes a specific anatomical bone (the hamate) and wrist location that is not fully predictable from shape alone, making the clarity partial rather than complete.
Etymology
Unciform bone comes from an old Latin word unciform meaning a 'hook', because the small bone in the wrist is shaped like a tiny hook. That's why the name fits the wrist bone near the little finger, which is also called the hamate.