patella

[ puh-tel-uh ]

noun

, plural pa·tel·las, pa·tel·lae [p, uh, -, 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.

patella

/ pəˈtɛlə /

noun

1. anatomy a small flat triangular bone in front of and protecting the knee joint Nontechnical namekneecap
2. biology a cuplike structure, such as the spore-producing body of certain ascomycetous fungi
3. archaeol a small pan

patella

/ pə-tĕl′ə /

, Plural patellae pə-tĕl′ē

1. The small, flat, movable bone at the front of the knee in most mammals.
2. Also called kneecap
3. See more at skeleton

Derived Forms

• paˈtellar, adjective

Other Words From

• pa·tellar adjective
• postpa·tellar adjective
• subpa·tellar adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of patella¹

1665–75; < Latin, diminutive of patina, patena pan, literally, something wide open. See paten, -elle

Word History and Origins

Origin of patella¹

C17: from Latin, from patina shallow pan

Example Sentences

Patella believes that the best part of the project was discovering unknown talent.

From The Daily Beast

All 60 pianos were kept in shape by Fred Patella, a local piano tuner who trawled the city every day.

From The Daily Beast

Patella neglecta (n.) Patella melanogramma, Sowerby, not Gmel.

From Project Gutenberg

There's a medical paper with a piece in it all about my patella.

From Project Gutenberg

Patel′lar, pertaining to the patella or knee-cap; Patel′late or Patel′lulate; Patel′liform, of the form of a small dish or saucer.

From Project Gutenberg

And this extended upward without first producing any great distention of the synovial sack under the patella.

From Project Gutenberg

With some assistance from a brother physician the patella was brought down to its place, but it would not remain.

From Project Gutenberg