The Femur Is the Longest Bone in the Body
The femur is the thigh bone. It is the longest and strongest bone a human has, and it carries the whole weight of the body.
The femur is the thigh bone, running from hip to knee. It is the longest and strongest bone in the human body, typically about a quarter of a person's height, and strong enough to bear several times body weight — which is why a broken femur usually means major force and serious blood loss. Its plural is *femurs* or the Latin *femora*, and the adjective is *femoral*, as in the femoral artery.
- The thigh bone. *A fractured femur.*
- Femoral — of the femur. *The femoral artery.*
- Tibia — the shin bone below it. *Tibia and fibula.*
- Patella — the kneecap. *The patella.*
- Latin — *femur*, thigh. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | femur | The left femur. |
| Plural | femurs | Both femurs. |
| Latin plural | femora | The femora. |
| Adjective | femoral | Femoral neck. |
| Latin | femur | Thigh. |
- He fractured his femur in the fall.Injury.
- The femoral artery runs down the thigh.Anatomy.
- It is the longest bone in the body.Fact.
Bones by size
- Femur — the longest, in the thigh
- Tibia — the second longest, the shin bone
- Fibula — the slender bone beside the tibia
- Humerus — the upper arm bone
- Stapes — the smallest, in the middle ear, about three millimetres
Latin *femur*, the thigh, of uncertain earlier origin. English adopted it as an anatomical term in the 1500s.
Is it femurs or femora?
Both are correct. Femurs is the everyday plural; femora is the Latin form used in medical writing.
What is the smallest bone?
The stapes in the middle ear, about three millimetres long.