humerus
Americannoun
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humeri
plural
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the long bone in the arm of humans extending from the shoulder to the elbow.
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Zoology. a corresponding bone, structure, or region in the forelimbs of other animals or in the wings of birds or insects.
noun
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the bone that extends from the shoulder to the elbow
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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
Among several examples: blood loss triggered rapid red blood cell production in the sternum, tibia, vertebrae, and humerus -- but not in the skull.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 20, 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 skeleton of a bear in the anatomical museum of the École des Beaux-Arts, the humerus is 33 centimetres in length, and the radius 30 centimetres.
From Artistic Anatomy of Animals by ?douard Cuyer
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
Replies, quite seriously, that it's the "os humeri."
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 93, October 15th 1887 by Various
These should be separated from the trunk at the os humeri or shoulder-joint, and at the os femoris or thigh bones; these bones cleanse from flesh.
From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon by Robert Armitage Sterndale
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
