wrist

American  

[rist] / rɪst /

noun

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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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

Wrist and ankle injuries left Burrage not knowing "how much fight" she had left.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2025

Wrist spinner Adil Rashid took 3-42 as Afghanistan’s 284 runs seemed like an under-par total on the tournament’s best batting track.

From Washington Times • Oct. 15, 2023

Wrist spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav, as well as pacers Avesh Khan and Mohammed Siraj come in to completely revamp the bowling line-up.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2022

A guitarist, Kolovos has released two solo albums for Thin Wrist.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2021

Wrist bones and forearms press into my back, and then palms wrap around my arms and pull me to my feet.

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth