wrist

American  

[rist] / rɪst /

noun

• wrists
  plural

1. the carpus or lower part of the forearm where it joins the hand.

2. the joint or articulation between the forearm and the hand.

3. the part of an article of clothing that fits around the wrist.

4. Machinery. wrist pin.

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wrist British  

/ rɪst /

noun

1. Technical name: carpus. anatomy the joint between the forearm and the hand

2. the part of a sleeve or glove that covers the wrist

3. machinery

   1. See wrist pin

   2. a joint in which a wrist pin forms the pivot

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wrist Idioms  

1. see slap on the wrist.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wrists
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of wrist

before 950; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Rist back of hand, Old Norse rist instep; akin to writhe

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Explanation

Your wrist is the joint between your arm and your hand. Without your wrists, it would be hard to play tennis — or even to wave goodbye to your friends. The wrist is a complicated joint that allows you to bend and rotate your hand in many different directions. The entire wrist area includes so many bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that it's fairly easy to injure. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one common injury that's caused by repeated motion of the wrist. The word wrist stems from the German Rist, "back of the hand," and a root meaning "to turn or bend."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wrist wrists

Goldthorp, England's best player on the night, carried on despite a nasty blow to her wrist.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

The student underwent surgery for injuries to his wrist, she said, and was left with bruises and lacerations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Far from being a daring allegory, the only risk “Wicker” faces is that of suffering wrist and elbow strain from patting itself on the back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

A larger 2022 UK study tracked 78,430 people for seven years using wrist accelerometers.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

With a flick of her wrist she manages to catch a tear before it runs down her face.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Cameras mounted on their wrists and heads gather video footage, which is first used by off-site teleoperators to steer the robots, and later by Tau to train more advanced AI models.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

"Arboreality is fundamental to understanding primates - including ourselves - because it has shaped our body to a large degree: hands and feet, wrists and ankles, nails instead of claws, etc.,"

From Science Daily ● Aug. 31, 2026

The ad featured popular Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon celebrating the Hindu festival in which sisters tie a thread called Rakhi over their brothers' wrists.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Rhys: I don’t, because my wrists have given up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

A strong surge shoots through my palms and up my wrists, sending heat through me.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

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