ulna
Americannoun
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ulnae,
plural
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ulnas
plural
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Anatomy. the bone of the forearm on the side opposite to the thumb.
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a corresponding bone in the forelimb of other vertebrates.
noun
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the inner and longer of the two bones of the human forearm
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the corresponding bone in other vertebrates
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ulna
1835–45; < Latin: elbow; akin to Greek ōlénē, Old English eln ell 2
Explanation
Your ulna is a bone in your arm — it sits in the forearm beside the radius bone, connecting your pinky finger to your elbow. The ulna is longer than the radius, and you need it for things like turning a car's steering wheel and throwing a ball. Because the ulna extends to the very tip of the elbow, it's sometimes called the "elbow bone," and in fact ulna means "elbow" in Latin. Most animals have an ulna, although it's often at least partially fused to the radius.
Vocabulary lists containing ulna
Human Anatomy and Physiology - High School
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Human Anatomy and Physiology - Middle School
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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:
The researchers also found that Sahelanthropus had a relatively long femur compared to its ulna, which adds further support for bipedal behavior.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 3, 2026
At the moment, Chiappe, May and paleontologist Pedro Mocho are locked in an intense discussion about the precise positioning of an ulna.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2024
Det Insp Nikki Deehan said excavations "first uncovered a tibia and fibula and a humerus, ulna, and radius bone relating to the lower left leg and right arm respectively".
From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2024
Jefferson, who had a deep passion for natural history, had received several bones, including the ulna, radius and claws, of an unknown animal.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2023
Pronator Quadratus.—This muscle conforms to the general law which we have already pointed out in connection with those which have for their action the rotation of the radius around the ulna.
From Artistic Anatomy of Animals by Cuyer, ?douard
In the Science Advances study, researchers reexamined the ulnae and femur using two main approaches.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 3, 2026
About twenty years later, scientists reported analyses of additional bones from the same discovery, including forearm bones known as ulnae and a thigh bone called the femur.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 3, 2026
While other species of birds have hollow bones, the club-winged manakins have solid ulnas that help enhance the sound production of their wing songs.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 15, 2017
Besides the ulnas, there are pieces of ribs, scapula, tibia, and feet.
From Archeological Investigations Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 76 by Fowke, Gerard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
