patella
[ puh-tel-uh ]
/ pəˈtɛl ə /
noun, plural pa·tel·las, pa·tel·lae [puh-tel-ee] /pəˈtɛl i/.
Anatomy.
the flat, movable bone at the front of the knee; kneecap.
Biology.
a panlike or cuplike formation.
Zoology.
any limpet of the family Patellidae.
Archaeology.
a small pan or shallow vessel.
Origin of patella
OTHER WORDS FROM patella
pa·tel·lar, adjective post·pa·tel·lar, adjective sub·pa·tel·lar, adjectiveWords nearby patella
patchwork,
patchy,
patd,
patd.,
pate,
patella,
patellar fossa of vitreous,
patellar ligament,
patellar reflex,
patellate,
patellectomy
Example sentences from the Web for patella
British Dictionary definitions for patella
patella
/ (pəˈtɛlə) /
noun plural -lae (-liː)
anatomy
a small flat triangular bone in front of and protecting the knee joint
Nontechnical name: kneecap
biology
a cuplike structure, such as the spore-producing body of certain ascomycetous fungi
archaeol
a small pan
Derived forms of patella
patellar, adjectiveWord Origin for patella
C17: from Latin, from
patina shallow pan
Medical definitions for patella
patella
[ pə-tĕl′ə ]
n. pl. pa•tel•lae (-tĕl′ē)
A flat triangular bone located in the combined tendon of the extensors of the leg and covering the front surface of the knee joint.
kneecap
A pan-shaped anatomical formation.
Other words from patella
pa•tel′lar null adj.Scientific definitions for patella
patella
[ pə-tĕl′ə ]
Plural patellae (pə-tĕl′ē)
The small, flat, movable bone at the front of the knee in most mammals. Also called kneecap See more at skeleton.