thenar

American  

[thee-nahr] / ˈθi nɑr /

noun

Anatomy.

1. the fleshy mass of the outer side of the palm of the hand.

2. the fleshy prominence or ball of muscle at the base of the thumb.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the thenar.

thenar British  

/ ˈθiːnɑː /

noun

1. the palm of the hand

2. the fleshy area of the palm at the base of the thumb

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adjective

1. of or relating to the palm or the region at the base of the thumb

Etymology

Origin of thenar

1665–75; < New Latin < Greek thénar palm of hand or sole of foot

Example Sentences

The thenar muscles, which are located on the lateral part of the palm, are the abductor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, and adductor pollicis.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The thenar muscles are on the radial aspect of the palm.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The thenar muscles include the abductor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, and the adductor pollicis.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

These muscles form the thenar eminence, the rounded contour of the base of the thumb, and all act on the thumb.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

While an assistant draws up the skin as much as possible, the surgeon makes an accurate circular incision through the skin, about an inch below the styloid processes, just grazing the thenar and hypothenar eminences.

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