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.

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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

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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

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Other Word Forms

• posttibial
  adjective
• pretibial
  adjective
• tibial
  adjective

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

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

It was later determined to be a human tibia.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 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

She was airlifted off the piste and taken to hospital in Treviso, where she was diagnosed with a "complex tibia fracture" in her left leg.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 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