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Definition of patella - 7 dictionary results
pa⋅tel⋅la
[puh-tel-uh] 
ə
–noun, plural -tel⋅las, -tel⋅lae [‑tel-ee] .
[‑tel-ee] . | 1. | Anatomy. the flat, movable bone at the front of the knee; kneecap. |
| 2. | Biology. a panlike or cuplike formation. |
| 3. | Zoology. any limpet of the family Patellidae. |
| 4. | Archaeology. a small pan or shallow vessel. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To patella
| pa·tel·la (pə-těl'ə) n. pl. pa·tel·lae (-těl'ē)
[Latin, diminutive of patina, plate, pan; see paten.] pa·tel'lar, pa·tel'late (-těl'ĭt, -āt') adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Patella
Pa*tel"la\, n.; pl. Patell[ae]. [L., a small pan, the kneepan, dim. of patina, patena, a pan, dish.]1. A small dish, pan, or vase. 2. (Anat.) The kneepan; the cap of the knee. 3. (Zo["o]l.) A genus of marine gastropods, including many species of limpets. The shell has the form of a flattened cone. The common European limpet (Patella vulgata) is largely used for food. 4. (Bot.) A kind of apothecium in lichens, which is orbicular, flat, and sessile, and has a special rim not a part of the thallus.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : patella
Spanish:
lapa,
German:
die Napfschnecke,
Japanese:
かさがい
patella
"knee cap," 1693, from L. patella "pan, kneecap," dim. of patina "pan" (see paten). So called from its shape.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: pa·tel·la
Pronunciation: p&-'tel-&
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural pa·tel·lae /-'tel-(")E,-"I/ or pa·tel·las
: a thick flat triangular movable bone that forms the anterior point of the knee, protects the front of the joint, increases theleverage of the quadriceps, and is usually regarded as a sesamoid bone since it is developed in the tendon of the quadriceps and in structure is similar to other sesamoid bones called alsokneecap, kneepan —pa·tel·lar /-&r/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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patella pa·tel·la (pə-těl'ə)
n. pl. pa·tel·lae (-těl'ē)
- A flat triangular bone located in the combined tendon of the extensors of the leg and covering the front surface of the knee joint. Also called kneecap.
- A pan-shaped anatomical formation.
pa·tel'lar or pa·tel'late (-těl'ĭt, -āt') adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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| patella (pə-těl'ə) Pronunciation Key
Plural patellae (pə-těl'ē) The small, flat, movable bone at the front of the knee in most mammals. Also called kneecap. See more at skeleton. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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