malleolus

American  

[muh-lee-uh-luhs] / məˈli ə ləs /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

malleoli

1. the bony protuberance on either side of the ankle, at the lower end of the fibula or of the tibia.

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malleolus British  

/ məˈliːələs /

noun

1. either of two rounded bony projections of the tibia and fibula on the sides of each ankle joint

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Other Word Forms

• malleolar adjective

Etymology

Origin of malleolus

1685–95; < Latin: small hammer, mallet, equivalent to malle ( us ) hammer + -olus -ole ¹

Example Sentences

Ligaments that unite the medial or lateral malleolus with the talus and calcaneus bones serve to support the talocrural joint and to resist excess eversion or inversion of the foot.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

It consists of the articulation between the talus bone and the medial malleolus of the tibia, the distal end of the tibia, and the lateral malleolus of the fibula.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The outside area of his foot beneath and around the lateral malleolus was the first to require any real contortion.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 28, 2011

An MRI scan on Thursday revealed a break in the medial malleolus, on the inside part of Yao's ankle, but the 30-year-old Chinese has not yet decided on how he wants to proceed.

From Reuters • Dec. 18, 2010

The incision is to stop at least half-an-inch below the internal malleolus.

From A Manual of the Operations of Surgery For the Use of Senior Students, House Surgeons, and Junior Practitioners by Bell, Joseph