carpometacarpus

American

[kahr-puh-met-uh-kahr-puhs, -met-uh-kahr-] / ˌkɑr pəˌmɛt əˈkɑr pəs, -ˈmɛt əˌkɑr- /

noun

Ornithology.

the bone of a bird's wing formed by fusion of the carpal and metacarpal bones.
the part of the wing supported by this bone.

carpometacarpus British

/ ˌkɑːpəʊˌmɛtəˈkɑːpəs /

noun

a bone in the wing of a bird that consists of the metacarpal bones and some of the carpal bones fused together

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

carpometacarpi

plural

Etymology

Origin of carpometacarpus

carpo- ² + metacarpus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

carpometacarpi

Solitaires possessed rounded bony clubs on their carpometacarpi that were used in combat.

From Scientific American ● Apr. 8, 2018

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023