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talus

1
[ tey-luhs ]
/ ˈteɪ ləs /
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noun, plural ta·li [tey-lahy]. /ˈteɪ laɪ/. Anatomy.
the uppermost bone of the proximal row of bones of the tarsus; anklebone.
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Origin of talus

1
First recorded in 1685–95, talus is from the Latin word tālus ankle, anklebone, die. See tassel

Words nearby talus

Talmud Torah, talon, Talos, tal. qual., taluk, talus, talweg, Talys, tam, tamable, Tamagotchi

Other definitions for talus (2 of 2)

talus2
[ tey-luhs, tal-uhs ]
/ ˈteɪ ləs, ˈtæl əs /
noun, plural ta·lus·es.
a slope.
Geology. a sloping mass of rocky fragments at the base of a cliff.
Fortification. the slope of the face of a work.

Origin of talus

2
1635–45; <French: pseudo-learned alteration of Old French talu slope <Latin talūtium gold-bearing slope or talus (Vulgar Latin: slope), perhaps of Iberian origin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to talus

bone, bluff, cliff, dune, highland, hillside, hilltop, ridge, slope, anklebone, astragalus, tarsus, acclivity, ascent, butte, climb, down, drift, elevation, eminence

How to use talus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for talus (1 of 2)

talus1
/ (ˈteɪləs) /
noun plural -li (-laɪ)
the bone of the ankle that articulates with the leg bones to form the ankle jointNontechnical name: anklebone

Word Origin for talus

C18: from Latin: ankle

British Dictionary definitions for talus (2 of 2)

talus2
/ (ˈteɪləs) /
noun plural -luses
geology another name for scree
fortifications the sloping side of a wall

Word Origin for talus

C17: from French, from Latin talūtium slope, perhaps of Iberian origin
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

Scientific definitions for talus (1 of 2)

talus1
[ tā′ləs ]
Plural tali (tā′lī′)
The bone of the ankle that articulates with the tibia and fibula to form the ankle joint.

Scientific definitions for talus (2 of 2)

talus2
[ tā′ləs ]
Plural taluses
Rock fragments that have accumulated at the base of a cliff or slope.♦ The concave slope formed by such an accumulation of rock fragments is called a talus slope.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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