tibia

American  

[tib-ee-uh] / ˈtɪb i ə /

noun

PLURAL

tibiae, tibias

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

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

Lucy Bronze played through the pain of a fractured tibia as she won Euro 2025, on the back of clinching the Women's Super League, FA Cup and League Cup.

From BBC

It fell on her, breaking her tibia and fibula – bones in her lower leg.

From BBC

With England international Lucy Bronze still recovering from the broken tibia she played with during Euro 2025, Carpenter was handed an immediate chance to make an impression.

From BBC

The unidentified girl had a skull fracture, several healing fractures to her ribs, a brain hemorrhage, swelling in the neck and a healing tibia fracture in her leg.

From Los Angeles Times