femur

noun

fe·​mur ˈfē-mər 

plural femurs or femora ˈfe-mə-rə 

ˈfem-rə

1

: the proximal bone of the hind or lower limb that extends from the hip to the knee

called also thigh bone

2

: the segment of an insect's leg that is third from the body

Examples of femur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This simple move restores mobility in minutes For example, when the muscles on the outside of your hips aren’t keeping your hips aligned and providing lateral stability, your femur (thigh bone) can collapse inward, placing extra stress on the inside of your knee. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025

There’s little precedent for NFL players recovering from a broken femur, complicating Adebo’s market. —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

Strengthen inner hip and leg muscles for better alignment Weak adductors (inner thigh muscles) and glutes can lead to poor alignment of your femur and knee joint. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025

What Causes Duck-Footed Walk? Out-toeing occurs when the hip joint, femur, or tibia tilts outward. —Mark Gurarie, Health, 5 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin femor-, femur, from Latin, thigh

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for femur

• beamer
• creamer
• dreamer
• lemur
• reamer
• schemer
• steamer
• streamer
• redeemer

Kids Definition

femur

noun

fe·​mur ˈfē-mər 

plural femurs or femora ˈfem-(ə-)rə 

1

: the long bone of the hind or lower limb extending from the hip to the knee

called also thighbone

2

: the segment of an insect's leg that is third from the body

femoral

ˈfem-(ə-)rəl

adjective

Medical Definition

femur

noun

fe·​mur ˈfē-mər 

plural femurs or femora ˈfem-(ə-)rə 

1

: the proximal bone of the hind or lower limb that is the longest and largest bone in the human body, extends from the hip to the knee, articulates above with the acetabulum by a rounded head connected with the shaft of the bone by an oblique neck bearing a pair of trochanters for the attachment of muscles, and articulates with the tibia below by a pair of condyles

called also thigh bone

2

: the segment of an insect's leg that is third from the body