trochanter

American  

[troh-kan-ter] / troʊˈkæn tər /

noun

1. Anatomy. either of two knobs at the top of the femur, the greater on the outside and the lesser on the inside, serving for the attachment of muscles between the thigh and pelvis.

2. Zoology. any similar prominence on the femur in many other vertebrates.

3. Entomology. (in an insect) the usually small second segment of the leg, between the coxa and femur.

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trochanter British  

/ trəʊˈkæntə /

noun

1. any of several processes on the upper part of the vertebrate femur, to which muscles are attached

2. the third segment of an insect's leg

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Other Word Forms

• subtrochanteric adjective
• trochanteral adjective
• trochanteric adjective

Etymology

Origin of trochanter

1605–15; < New Latin < Greek trochantḗr ball on which the hip bone turns in its socket

Example Sentences

The gear teeth on one trochanter engaged with and sequentially moved past those on the other trochanter during the preparatory cocking and the propulsive phases of jumping.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 12, 2013

The lesser trochanter is a small, bony prominence that lies on the medial aspect of the femur, just below the neck.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

A single, powerful muscle attaches to the lesser trochanter.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

At its proximal end, the posterior shaft has the gluteal tuberosity, a roughened area extending inferiorly from the greater trochanter.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

“Furthermore, each leg of mine has seven sections—the coxa, the trochanter, the femur, the patella, the tibia, the metatarsus, and the tarsus.”

From "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White