navicular

noun

: a navicular bone:
a
: one situated on the big-toe side of the tarsus in humans

called also scaphoid

c
: one situated in the hoof of a horse behind the coffin bone

Examples of navicular in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The navicular is covered by cartilage and lacks a rich blood supply, causing a slow recovery process. David Woods, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Nov. 2021 See All Example Sentences for navicular

Word History

Etymology

New Latin (os) naviculare a navicular bone

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of navicular was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Navicular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/navicular. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

Medical Definition

navicular

1 of 2 noun
na·​vic·​u·​lar nə-ˈvik-yə-lər How to pronounce navicular (audio)
variants or navicular bone
: a boat-shaped bone:
a
: the one of the seven tarsal bones of the human foot that is situated on the big-toe side between the talus and the cuneiform bones

called also scaphoid

c
: a small bone enclosed within the hoof of the horse behind the junction of the coffin bone and short pastern bone

navicular

2 of 2 adjective
1
: resembling or having the shape of a boat
navicular cells
2
: of, relating to, or involving a navicular bone
navicular fractures
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