Ankle Belongs to a Family of Bending Words
The ankle is the joint between foot and leg. Its root means to bend, and it is related to angle and to the anchor.
The ankle is the joint connecting the foot to the leg. It comes from an Indo-European root meaning to bend, which also produced *angle*, a corner, and *anchor*, a hooked implement — anything that bends sharply. The ankle carries more force per area than almost any other joint, which is why sprains are among the commonest injuries in sport.
- The leg joint. *A twisted ankle.*
- Ankle-deep — up to the ankles. *Ankle-deep in mud.*
- Ankle bone — the talus. *A fractured ankle bone.*
- Ankle biter — a small child, informal. *A pair of ankle biters.*
- Anklet — an ankle ornament. *A silver anklet.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | ankle | A swollen ankle. |
| Plural | ankles | Both ankles. |
| Compound | anklet | A beaded anklet. |
| Related | angle | A right angle. |
| Related | anchor | Drop anchor. |
- He went over on his ankle.A sprain.
- We waded in ankle-deep water.Depth.
- Angle and ankle share a bending root.Etymology.
Why ankles sprain so often
- It bears the whole body weight on a small area
- Inversion sprains — the foot rolls inward, stretching the outer ligaments
- The outer ligaments are weaker than the inner ones
- Uneven ground and sudden turns are the usual causes
- Previous sprains significantly raise the risk of another
Old English *ancleow*, from a Proto-Germanic root meaning to bend, ultimately from an Indo-European root also behind *angle* and *anchor*.
Are ankle and angle related?
Yes. Both come from a root meaning to bend. An angle is a bend in a line; an ankle is a bend in a leg.
Why do ankle sprains recur?
Because the ligaments and the joint's position sense are often not fully restored, which leaves the joint less stable.