tibia

American  

[tib-ee-uh] / ˈtɪb i ə /

noun

• tibiae,
  plural
• tibias
  plural

1. Anatomy. the inner of the two bones of the leg, that extend from the knee to the ankle and articulate with the femur and the talus; shinbone.

2. Zoology.

   1. a corresponding bone in a horse or other hoofed quadruped, extending from the stifle to the hock.

   2. (in insects) the fourth segment of the leg, between the femur and tarsus.

---

tibia British  

/ ˈtɪbɪə /

noun

1. Also called: shinbone. the inner and thicker of the two bones of the human leg between the knee and ankle Compare fibula

2. the corresponding bone in other vertebrates

3. the fourth segment of an insect's leg, lying between the femur and the tarsus

---

tibia Scientific  

/ tĭb′ē-ə /

1. The larger of the two bones of the lower leg or lower portion of the hind leg.

2. See more at skeleton

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• posttibial
  adjective
• pretibial
  adjective
• tibial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tibiae
  plural
• tibias
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tibia

First recorded in 1685–95, tibia is from the Latin word tībia literally, reed pipe

Compare meaning

How does tibia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• tibia vs. fibula

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tibia tibiae tibias

At the Women's European Championship that followed, Bronze was instrumental in England retaining the trophy, starting every game despite suffering a fractured tibia on the eve of the tournament.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

They include a few isolated sauropod teeth, scattered bones likely from a sauropod, and two finds near Knysna: the theropod tooth discovered earlier and part of a tibia.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 24, 2026

The 15-time major winner needed pins inserted in his foot and ankle and a rod in his tibia as well as a follow-up surgery in 2023.

From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026

“Basically, I had a complex tibia fracture. I also fractured my fibular head, my tibial plateau — just kind of everything was in pieces,” she said.

From Salon ● Feb. 23, 2026

An infection spiked up and he was rushed to the emergency room downtown where a two-inch section of his tibia and fibula was removed.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

His meticulously assembled forest of skulls, femurs, tibiae, and fibulae isn’t sacrilege; it’s a memorial.

From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2026

The genus, or rather family, of Epeira, is here characterized by many singular forms; some species have pointed coriaceous shells, others enlarged and spiny tibiae.

From The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin

Posterior tibiae and tarsi nearly as in the second pair.

From Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1. With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea. by John Lort Stokes

Ears: organs of hearing, as on the first tibiae or on the first abdominal segment of some Trichoptera.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by John. B. Smith

Legs and underside ferruginous, bases of abdominal segments green, as are the tips of the femora and all the tarsi: front edge of tibiae of fore-legs without teeth, hind tibiae moderate.

From Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1. With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea. by John Lort Stokes

She said that, because of the rampant theft of some of the femurs, tibias and skulls in the past, the bones were now cemented together.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2025

She heightens the sense of otherworldliness by employing unusual materials, including horse tibias and cigarette butts.

From New York Times ● Nov. 11, 2020

Some think it has to do with skeletal structure: female tibias tend to slope backward more at rest, leaving more room to accelerate as they land from a jump.

From Slate ● May 4, 2012

And Lee carefully packed the bones, femurs, and tibias really straight, skull in the middle, with pelvis and clavicle surrounding it and ribs curving on either side.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

I learned that insects are arthropods and that they have tibias too!

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper