hamate

noun

ha·​mate ˈhā-ˌmāt How to pronounce hamate (audio)
: a bone on the inner side of the second row of the carpus in mammals

Examples of hamate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In a game against the Padres on July 4, Trout fractured his left hamate bone and Rendon fouled a pitch so hard off his shin that his tibia fractured (a diagnosis not revealed to members of the media until September). Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023 The three-time AL MVP has played just one game since fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand July 3. BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023 The Angels center fielder fractured his left hamate bone in a game on July 3, had surgery and returned on Aug. 22. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2023 Mike Trout returned to the lineup after missing 39 games with a broken hamate bone and went back on the injured list the next day. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Sep. 2023 Trout has been out for more than one month now after suffering a left hamate fracture and undergoing surgery. Annika Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023 However, Yu Chang is now back from a hamate bone injury and will help stabilize the shortstop position for now. Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2023 It’s been two weeks since Trout fractured the hamate bone in his left hand, the latest in a string of injuries that have altered the All-Star’s seasons since 2020. Luca Evans, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2023 July 5, 2023 Trout had surgery Wednesday to repair a hamate bone fracture on his left wrist and is expected to miss four to eight weeks. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hamate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin hamatus hooked, from hamus hook

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hamate was in 1924

Dictionary Entries Near hamate

Cite this Entry

“Hamate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

hamate

1 of 2 adjective
ha·​mate
ˈhā-ˌmāt also ˈham-ət
: shaped like a hook

hamate

2 of 2 noun
variants or hamate bone
: a bone on the little-finger side of the second row of the carpus in mammals

called also unciform, unciform bone

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