tarsometatarsus

[ tahr-soh-met-uh-tahr-suh s ]
/ ˌtɑr soʊˌmɛt əˈtɑr səs /

noun, plural tar·so·met·a·tar·si [tahr-soh-met-uh-tahr-sahy, -see] /ˌtɑr soʊˌmɛt əˈtɑr saɪ, -si/. Ornithology.

the large bone in the lower leg of a bird with which the toe bones articulate, formed by the fusion of tarsal and metatarsal bones.

Origin of tarsometatarsus

First recorded in 1850–55; tarso- + metatarsus

OTHER WORDS FROM tarsometatarsus

tar·so·met·a·tar·sal, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for tarsometatarsus

British Dictionary definitions for tarsometatarsus

tarsometatarsus
/ (ˌtɑːsəʊˌmɛtəˈtɑːsəs) /

noun plural -si (-saɪ)

a bone in the lower part of a bird's leg consisting of the metatarsal bones and some of the tarsal bones fused together

Derived forms of tarsometatarsus

tarsometatarsal, adjective

Word Origin for tarsometatarsus

C19: tarso-, from tarsus + metatarsus