Pronunciation: [fˈiːmə] (IPA) 
The word "femur" is spelled with three syllables: /ˈfiː.mər/. The first syllable is pronounced with a long "e" vowel sound, like in the word "beet." The second syllable has a schwa sound, which is the unstressed and neutral vowel sound that appears in many English words. The final syllable is pronounced with a short "u" sound, like in the word "but." All together, the phonetic transcription for "femur" is /ˈfiː.mər/.
The femur is a noun that refers to the long, largest, and strongest bone located in the human thigh. It is commonly known as the thigh bone and is considered an essential component of the skeletal system. The femur is a critical bone for human movement and plays a vital role in supporting the body's weight during activities such as walking, running, and standing.
Anatomically, the femur extends from the hip joint, where it articulates with the pelvis, to the knee joint, where it connects with the tibia and fibula bones. Its length and robust structure contribute to its primary function of providing stability and support for the lower extremity. Moreover, the femur serves as a site for the attachment of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, enabling various leg movements.
The femur consists of distinct regions, including the head, neck, shaft, and condyles. The head fits into the acetabulum (socket) of the pelvis to form the hip joint, while the neck connects the head to the shaft. The shaft, also called the diaphysis, is the elongated portion of the bone that carries the majority of its length. At the distal end of the femur, the bony prominences called condyles articulate with the tibia, forming the knee joint.
Due to its significance in human anatomy and function, any injuries or fractures to the femur can have profound effects on mobility and overall well-being. Medical practitioners commonly examine the femur to assess bone health, diagnose disorders, and administer relevant treatments in order to maintain the proper functioning of this critical structure.
1. Thigh-bone; the long bone of the thigh. articulating with the innominate bone above and the tibia and patella below. 2. The thigh.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "femur" is derived from Latin. It can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root word "dʰemh₁-", which means "to secure", "to restrain". In Latin, the word "femur" originally referred to the thigh or the thigh bone. Over time, it specifically came to denote the femur bone in particular.
