patella

views updated May 18 2018

pa·tel·la / pəˈtelə/ • n. (pl. -lae / -lē/ ) Anat. the kneecap.DERIVATIVES: pa·tel·lar / -ˈtelər/ adj.pa·tel·late / -ˈtelit; -ˌlāt/ adj.

kneecap

views updated May 29 2018

knee·cap / ˈnēˌkap/ • n. the convex bone in front of the knee joint; the patella.• v. (-capped, -cap·ping) [tr.] shoot (someone) in the knee or leg as a form of punishment: [as n.] (kneecapping) petty crimes are punished by kneecapping.

patella

views updated Jun 08 2018

patella The knee-cap. In most Mammalia, and in some Aves and Reptilia, a bone located in front of the knee joint in the hind limb and set in a tendon of the muscles which straighten the limb.

patella

views updated May 23 2018

patella (kneecap) Large, flattened, roughly triangular bone just in front of the joint where the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shinbone) are linked. It is surrounded by bursae (sacs of fluid) that cushion the joint.

patella

views updated May 23 2018

patella (pă-tel-ă) n. the lens-shaped bone that forms the kneecap. It is situated in front of the knee in the tendon of the quadriceps muscle of the thigh. See also sesamoid bone.
patellar (pă-tel-er) adj.

patella

views updated Jun 11 2018

patella (kneecap) A small rounded movable bone that is situated in a tendon in front of the knee joint in most mammals (including humans). The function of the patella is to protect the knee.

kneecap

views updated May 11 2018

kneecap (nee-kap) n. see patella.

patella

views updated May 21 2018

patella (anat.) knee-cap. XVII. — L. patella, dim. of patina shallow dish; see next.