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talus

 - 8 dictionary results

ta⋅lus

1  [tey-luhs]
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–noun, plural -li  [-lahy] . Anatomy.
the uppermost bone of the proximal row of bones of the tarsus; anklebone.
Origin:
1685–95; < L tālus ankle, anklebone, die. See tassel1

ta⋅lus

2  [tey-luhs, tal-uhs]
–noun, plural -lus⋅es.
1. a slope.
2. Geology. a sloping mass of rocky fragments at the base of a cliff.
3. Fortification. the slope of the face of a work.
Origin:
1635–45; < F: pseudo-learned alter. of OF talu slope < L talūtium gold-bearing slope or talus (VL: slope), perh. of Iberian origin
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ta·lus 1   (tā'ləs)   
n.   pl. ta·li (-lī')

  1. The bone of the ankle that articulates with the tibia and fibula to form the ankle joint. Also called anklebone, astragalus.

  2. The ankle.


[Latin tālus, ankle.]
ta·lus 2   (tā'ləs)   
n.   pl. ta·lus·es
A sloping mass of rock debris at the base of a cliff.

[French talus, from Old French talu, sloping side of an earthwork, from Latin talūtium, gold-bearing outcrop, perhaps of Celtic origin.]
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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Word Origin & History

talus  (1)
"anklebone," 1693, from L. talus "ankle, anklebone, knucklebone" (pl. tali), related to L. taxillus "a small die, cube" (they originally were made from the knucklebones of animals).

talus  (2)
"slope," 1645, from Fr. talus (16c.), from O.Fr. talu "slope" (12c.), probably from Gallo-Romance *talutum, from L. talutium "a slope or outcrop of rock debris," possibly of Celtic origin (cf. Breton tal "forehead, brow"). OED, however, suggests derivation from root of talus (1) in the sense of "heel" which developed in its Romanic descendants. Mainly used of military earthwork at first; meaning "sloping mass of rocky fragments that has fallen from a cliff" is first recorded 1830.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ta·lus
Pronunciation: 'tA-l&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural ta·li /'tA-"lI/
1 : the human astragalus that bears the weight of the body and together with the tibia and fibula forms the ankle joint called also anklebone
2 : the entire ankle
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

talus ta·lus (tā'ləs)
n. pl. ta·li (-lī')

  1. The bone of the ankle that articulates with the tibia and fibula to form the ankle joint. Also called anklebone, astragalus.

  2. The ankle.

ta'ler (-lər) 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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