cannon bone

noun

, Zoology.

1. the greatly developed middle metacarpal or metatarsal bone of hoofed quadruped mammals, extending from the hock to the fetlock.

cannon bone

noun

1. a bone in the legs of horses and other hoofed animals consisting of greatly elongated fused metatarsals or metacarpals

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannon bone¹

1825–35; cannon in obsolete sense “tube”

Example Sentences

O’Brien said the initial diagnosis was a non-displaced condylar fracture and described it as a small crack in the cannon bone.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a repetitive strain injury that results in a fracture to the cannon bone above the fetlock due to large loads transmitted during high-speed workouts.

From Washington Times

Go For Wand was leading by a head at the sixteenth pole when she suffered an open fracture to her right cannon bone.

From Washington Times

The race lost luster Thursday when Omaha Beach pulled out with a problem in the right rear ankle that could have foreshadowed a cannon bone fracture.

From Los Angeles Times

“Many important lesions such as those in Mongolian Groom’s hind cannon bones are not easy to find,” according to the report.

From Los Angeles Times