plural femurs or femora
ˈfe-mə-rə 
ˈfem-rə
1
: the proximal bone of the hind or lower limb that extends from the hip to the knee
called also thigh bone
2
: the segment of an insect's leg that is third from the body
Examples of femur in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In another, an older man broke his femur and got an infection that could only be treated with IV antibiotics.
—
Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2025
As a result, by independently moving up and down along with the legs, the two sides of the saddle reportedly transfer pressure from the sit bones to the femurs, distributing the load more evenly (and less painfully).
—New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2025
This simple move restores mobility in minutes For example, when the muscles on the outside of your hips aren’t keeping your hips aligned and providing lateral stability, your femur (thigh bone) can collapse inward, placing extra stress on the inside of your knee.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
There’s little precedent for NFL players recovering from a broken femur, complicating Adebo’s market.
—Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for femur
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Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2025
As a result, by independently moving up and down along with the legs, the two sides of the saddle reportedly transfer pressure from the sit bones to the femurs, distributing the load more evenly (and less painfully).
—New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2025
This simple move restores mobility in minutes For example, when the muscles on the outside of your hips aren’t keeping your hips aligned and providing lateral stability, your femur (thigh bone) can collapse inward, placing extra stress on the inside of your knee.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025
There’s little precedent for NFL players recovering from a broken femur, complicating Adebo’s market.
—Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for femur
Cite this Entry
“Femur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/femur. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
femur
noun
fe·mur
ˈfē-mər
plural femurs or femora
ˈfem-(ə-)rə
1
: the long bone of the hind or lower limb extending from the hip to the knee
called also thighbone
2
: the segment of an insect's leg that is third from the body
femoral
adjective
ˈfem-(ə-)rəl
Medical Definition
femur
noun
fe·mur
ˈfē-mər
plural femurs or femora
ˈfem-(ə-)rə
1
: the proximal bone of the hind or lower limb that is the longest and largest bone in the human body, extends from the hip to the knee, articulates above with the acetabulum by a rounded head connected with the shaft of the bone by an oblique neck bearing a pair of trochanters for the attachment of muscles, and articulates with the tibia below by a pair of condyles
called also thigh bone
2
: the segment of an insect's leg that is third from the body
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