humerus
Americannoun
-
the long bone in the arm of humans extending from the shoulder to the elbow.
-
Zoology. a corresponding bone, structure, or region in the forelimbs of other animals or in the wings of birds or insects.
noun
-
the bone that extends from the shoulder to the elbow
-
the corresponding bone in other vertebrates
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of humerus
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin ( h ) umerus shoulder; cognate with Greek ômos, Gothic ams, Sanskrit ámsas
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:
Former British number one Draper has only played 15 matches in the past 12 months, largely because of the bruised humerus that has been bothering him for over a year.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
A humerus bone fracture near the elbow is a common injury among children who fall.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2024
Thicker bones, like the femur and humerus, tend to better withstand heat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2023
It had a broken beak, fractured humerus bone and a substantial wound to muscle and other soft tissues in its wing.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 12, 2022
In the horse, for example, whose metacarpus is long, and in which but one digit is apparent, the humerus is very short.
From Artistic Anatomy of Animals by Cuyer, ?douard
However, about ten men from the hospital had symmetrical humeri, yet they had no signs of a poor upbringing, limited growth, or chronic illness.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 1, 2023
At any moment, I thought, my little humeri might snap from taking the weight of my body.
From Slate ● Jul. 29, 2023
The felines’ front legs were most affected; for example, the femurs of captive mountain lions were about four-fifths as dense as those of wild cats, whereas their humeri were only three-fourths as dense.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 29, 2022
But perhaps a man, after knowing his own character—the limited strength of his own mind, should not be desirous of having too much wisdom, considering, quid valeant humeri, how little he can carry.'
From Boswell's Life of Johnson Abridged and edited, with an introduction by Charles Grosvenor Osgood by Osgood, Charles Grosvenor
The shoulders were on the east, humeri pointed downwards, forearms prone; the legs were bent, the knees up and south of the backbone.
From El Kab by Quibell, James Edward
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
