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
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Both Brennan and Gilbert are capable center fielders, which became a sudden need when Bader’s lingering left hamstring strain failed to improve and Oliva sustained the hamate injury at some point on the Giants’ current road trip. Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 The team said that's not uncommon following hamate surgery. ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026 Holliday will likely start the season on the injured list while recovering from a broken hamate bone in his right hand. Adam Thompson, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026 In his second game back after February hamate bone surgery, the switch-hitting shortstop took swings from both sides of the plate with no noticeable pain. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hamate

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hamate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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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