tarsometatarsus
noun
tar·so·meta·tar·sus
ˈtär-(ˌ)sō-ˈme-tə-ˌtär-səs 
: the large compound bone of the lower leg of a bird that is formed by fusion of the metatarsals with the distal end of the tarsus
also
: the segment of the limb it supports
Examples of tarsometatarsus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
All three were just the part of the foot bone where the toes attach called the tarsometatarsus.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2024
Researchers study owl fossils by looking at the shapes of their bones, including their tarsometatarsus, Smith said in an interview with LiveScience.
—Fox News, 4 Aug. 2020
The Early Miocene was a time of early parrot diversification, a veritable Parrotpalooza of environmental adaptation, but this little tarsometatarsus (the partial fossil is a mere 5mm long) is the first to be found in Asia during this period.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2016
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2024
Researchers study owl fossils by looking at the shapes of their bones, including their tarsometatarsus, Smith said in an interview with LiveScience.
—Fox News, 4 Aug. 2020
The Early Miocene was a time of early parrot diversification, a veritable Parrotpalooza of environmental adaptation, but this little tarsometatarsus (the partial fossil is a mere 5mm long) is the first to be found in Asia during this period.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 26 Oct. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Tarsometatarsus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarsometatarsus. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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