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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mike Trout, recovering from a left hamate fracture, would play only one game the rest of the season. Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 16 May 2025 Alvarez fractured the hamate bone in his left hand during batting practice on March 8 and had surgery two days later. Will Sammon, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 Spring training injuries delayed the start of the season for both, with McNeil going down with an oblique strain, and Alvarez needing surgery to repair a broken hamate bone. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025 When Alvarez underwent surgery for a fractured hamate bone on March 10, the catcher’s recovery was expected to take six-to-eight weeks. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025 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 20 May. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!