Femur
/ˈfiː.mər/noun
The thigh bone, the longest bone in the human body.
Did you know?In ancient medicine, the femur was often associated with stability and power, believed to be a vital connection to one's grounding in the physical realm.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰéḱmōs
“the root of 'bone', evoking the idea of support and structure.”
Latin
Latin
femur
“meaning 'thigh', representing strength and structural support of the body.”
Old French
Old French
femur
“carried over from Latin, retaining its meaning of the upper leg bone.”
Middle English
Middle English
femur
“adopted into English from Old French, still referring to the thigh bone.”
Modern English
English
femur
“the standard term for the thigh bone in anatomy.”
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