knucklebone
noun
knuck·le·bone
ˈnək-əl-ˌbōn 
1
: a bone (such as a metatarsus or metacarpus of a sheep) used in games and formerly in divination
2
Examples of knucklebone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But scientists still debate whether our close human relatives actually carved the knucklebone for a more practical purpose.
—
Matthew Twombly, National Geographic, 8 Dec. 2021
To win, players raced their opponent to the opposite end of the board, moving pieces according to knucklebone dice rolls.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2020
As a onetime priest, McLaughlin would have undoubtedly understood the desire to possess a relic from a venerated figure, like a saint’s knucklebone or a sliver of the true cross.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 4 June 2018
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Matthew Twombly, National Geographic, 8 Dec. 2021
To win, players raced their opponent to the opposite end of the board, moving pieces according to knucklebone dice rolls.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2020
As a onetime priest, McLaughlin would have undoubtedly understood the desire to possess a relic from a venerated figure, like a saint’s knucklebone or a sliver of the true cross.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 4 June 2018
Cite this Entry
“Knucklebone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knucklebone. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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