whirl-bone en · NOUN
Etymology
From Middle English whirlebon, whyrlebone, whorlbane (“hip or hip joint; the thighbone, femur; the rounded head of the femur; the kneecap, patella; a vertebra; ankle”), perhaps an alteration of Old English hweorfbān (“a joint, kneecap, vertebra”), equivalent to whirl + bone. Cognate with Scots whorlebone, whorle-bane (“hip bone, joint, vertebra”), German Wirbelbein (“vertebra”).
Meanings
- (archaic) The patella, rotula, or kneecap.
- (archaic) The head of the femur.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| whirl-bones | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| whirlbone | alternative | lexicographic | |
| whirly-bone | alternative | lexicographic | |
| whirl bone | alternative | lexicographic |