hamate

noun

ha·​mate ˈhā-ˌmāt 

: a bone on the inner side of the second row of the carpus in mammals

Examples of hamate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When Alvarez underwent surgery for a fractured hamate bone on March 10, the catcher’s recovery was expected to take six-to-eight weeks. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025

First baseman Tyler Black, the No. 6 prospect in the Brewers’ system was expected to open the season with Nashville but will instead miss the first 6-8 weeks of the season after fracturing the hamate bone in his right hand. —Andrew Wagner, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

Starting catcher Francisco Alvarez (fractured hamate bone in left hand) will miss six to eight weeks, and second baseman Jeff McNeil sustained a low-grade right oblique strain. —Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025

Catcher Francisco Alvarez will start the year on the IL with a broken hamate bone in his left hand but still has 25-30 home run power and breakout potential. —Jim Bowden, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin hamatus hooked, from hamus hook

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hamate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Medical Definition

hamate

1 of 2 adjective

ha·​mate

ˈhā-ˌmāt also ˈham-ət

: shaped like a hook

hamate

2 of 2 noun

variants or hamate bone

: a bone on the little-finger side of the second row of the carpus in mammals

called also unciform, unciform bone