ankle

noun

an·​kle ˈaŋ-kəl How to pronounce ankle (audio)
1
: the joint between the foot and the leg
also : the region of this joint
2
: the joint between the cannon bone and pastern (as in the horse)

Examples of ankle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Its sleek, slim-fit design and elastic waistband make for a fit that’s professional yet comfortable, and its ankle-skimming length is ideal for showing off cute loafers, sneakers, or other fall shoes. Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 As Warner watched from a private box with his ankle in a cast along with wife Sydney and son Beau — to thunderous cheers when shown on the Jumbotron — the second-year linebacker from Florida State saw the game as a homage to his mentor. Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025 Two-way guard Chris Manon fully participated in practice on Sunday after suffering a Grade 2 ankle sprain during camp that sidelined him for preseason play. Khobi Price, Oc Register, 20 Oct. 2025 Tessa Thompson chose a dress from that same collection, a strapless ankle-length dress that was beautifully shaped and embellished all over with silk yellow daisies. Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ankle

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ancle, ankill, perhaps going back to an unattested Old English outcome of Germanic *ankula- (whence Old Frisian & Middle Dutch ankel "ankle," Old High German anchal) alongside *ankila- (whence 16th-century Dutch enckel "ankle," Middle Low German enkel, Old High German enchil) and *ankilōn-, *ankulōn- (whence Old High German anchla, anchala, anchila "ankle," Old Norse ǫkkla), diminutive of a base seen in *ankjōn- (whence Old High German ancha, anca "limb, nape of the neck," Old Norse ekkja "heel"), of uncertain origin

Note: Middle English ancle is often presumed to have been borrowed from a Scandinavian predecessor (with a preserved nasal consonant) of the Norse etymon attested as ǫkkla in Old Icelandic. Complicating the already complex mixture of forms given above are Middle English anclee, anclowe and their modern dialect descendants such as ancliff, ankley, which go back to Old English anclēow, anclēowe "ankle," cognate with Old Frisian onklef, anklef, Middle Dutch anclau, anclief, Old High German anchlao; these appear to show conflation with the outcomes of Germanic *klawō- "claw" (as Old English clawu, clēa "claw, hoof"; see claw entry 1). Germanic *ankula- is usually further identified with Indo-European *h2eng-(e)lo- (see angle entry 1), though the etymon could equally well be derived within Germanic from the base *ank- seen in Old High German ancha. The latter has been connected with Sanskrit áṅgam "limb, member" and aṅgúliḥ, aṅgúriḥ "finger, toe," which appears to have suffixation similar to Germanic *ankula-.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ankle was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ankle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ankle. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ankle

noun
an·​kle ˈaŋ-kəl How to pronounce ankle (audio)
: the joint between the foot and the leg
also : the region of this joint

Medical Definition

ankle

noun
an·​kle ˈaŋ-kəl How to pronounce ankle (audio)
1
a
: the joint between the foot and the leg that constitutes in humans a ginglymus joint between the tibia and fibula above and the talus below

called also ankle joint

b
: the region of the ankle joint
2
: the joint between the cannon bone and pastern (as in the horse)

More from Merriam-Webster on ankle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!