Library / English Dictionary

PATELLA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: patellae   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Type genus of the family Patellidae: common European limpets

Synonyms:

genus Patella; Patella

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("Patella" is a kind of...):

mollusk genus (a genus of mollusks)

Meronyms (members of "Patella"):

common limpet; Patella vulgata (marine limpet)

Holonyms ("Patella" is a member of...):

family Patellidae; Patellidae (marine limpets)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A small flat triangular bone in front of the knee that protects the knee joint

Synonyms:

kneecap; kneepan; patella

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("patella" is a kind of...):

os sesamoideum; sesamoid; sesamoid bone (any of several small round bones formed in a tendon where it passes over a joint)

Holonyms ("patella" is a part of...):

articulatio genus; genu; human knee; knee; knee joint (hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella)

Derivation:

patellar (near or relating to the patella or kneecap)

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