lunate
Americanadjective
noun
-
Anatomy. the second bone from the thumb side of the proximal row of bones of the carpus.
-
a crescent-shaped, microlithic artifact mounted in a haft to form a composite tool, mostly Mesolithic in origin.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lunate
First recorded in 1770–80, lunate is from the Latin word lūnātus crescent-shaped. See Luna, -ate 1
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.
The same goes for 6-4, 213-pound junior wide receiver Ty Jones, who missed all but one practice last spring with a dislocated lunate bone and torn ligaments in his right wrist.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 27, 2019
The scaphoid, lunate, and triquetrum bones contribute to the formation of the radiocarpal joint.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
The scaphoid and lunate bones articulate directly with the distal end of the radius, whereas the triquetrum bone articulates with a fibrocartilaginous pad that spans the radius and styloid process of the ulna.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Only three of these bones, the scaphoid, lunate, and triquetrum, contribute to the radiocarpal joint.
From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013
Between the post-frontal bone above and the quadrato-jugal bone below is a small lunate opening, which represents the lateral temporal vacuity; and so far, this is a reptilian character.
From Dragons of the Air An Account of Extinct Flying Reptiles by Seeley, H. G.
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.
