wrist

American  

[rist] / rɪst /

noun

• wrists
  plural

1. the carpus or lower part of the forearm where it joins the hand.

2. the joint or articulation between the forearm and the hand.

3. the part of an article of clothing that fits around the wrist.

4. Machinery. wrist pin.

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wrist British  

/ rɪst /

noun

1. Technical name: carpus.  anatomy the joint between the forearm and the hand

2. the part of a sleeve or glove that covers the wrist

3. machinery

   1. See wrist pin

   2. a joint in which a wrist pin forms the pivot

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wrist Idioms  

1. see slap on the wrist.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wrists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wrist

before 950; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Rist back of hand, Old Norse rist instep; akin to writhe

Explanation

Your wrist is the joint between your arm and your hand. Without your wrists, it would be hard to play tennis — or even to wave goodbye to your friends. The wrist is a complicated joint that allows you to bend and rotate your hand in many different directions. The entire wrist area includes so many bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that it's fairly easy to injure. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one common injury that's caused by repeated motion of the wrist. The word wrist stems from the German Rist, "back of the hand," and a root meaning "to turn or bend."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wrist wrists

Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist injury, and makes his comeback from a four-month absence in New York.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

OpenAI founder Sam Altman is also a watch guy, whose wrist has sported styles including a roughly $650,000 piece from another Swiss maker, Greubel Forsey.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Sinner's decision comes a day after his great rival Carlos Alcaraz announced he is competing at Flushing Meadows following a four-month absence with a wrist injury.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Alcaraz has been MIA from the courts since April, when he withdrew after injuring the wrist on his right, racket-side hand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

That one dodged his blow, then wrapped around his wrist and shook the axe loose while four other branches wrapped around his ankles, other wrist, and waist.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

It’s roughly the same size as my 2011-era car key fob and it sticks out, especially on small wrists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

His emotions — and that sticky goo in his wrists — are about to burst.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

The ideal invention would be a light polyester air-conditioned undergarment, enclosed around the neck, wrists and ankles and battery operated.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

The court found an inconsistency in Ryan's evidence over whether he had grabbed or only touched Ms Gordon's wrists.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

As officers placed handcuffs on his wrists, Ames cried out, "What's this all about? You're making a big mistake! You must have the wrong man!"

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau