patella

See also: Patella and patel·la

Contents

English

A diagram of a front view of the knee, showing the patella at centre

Etymology

From Latin patella (“a small pan or dish, a plate; the kneepan, patella”), diminutive of patina (“a broad shallow dish, pan”).

Noun

patella (plural patellas or patellae)

1. (anatomy) The sesamoid bone of the knee; the kneecap.
   • 2004, Ann Seranne, The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog, page 188,

     Subluxed patellas, more commonly referred to as slipped stifles, like all inherited factors will continue to cripple a breed as long as breeders continue to mate affected animals.

   • 2005, Roger E. Stevenson, 20: Limbs, Roger E. Stevenson, Judith G. Hall, Human Malformations and Related Anomalies, page 920,

     Since patella diameter is a feature of continuous variation, the majority of small patellas represent simply the lower extreme of normal anatomic variation.

   • 2006, Erik Trinkaus, 18: The Lower Limb Remains, Erik Trinkaus, Jiří Svoboda (editors), Early Modern Human Evolution in Central Europe, page 395,

     Both patellae are well preserved for Dolni Věstonice 3 and 13-15, and the left patella remains for Dolni Věstonice 16 (Figures 18.22 to 18.26).

   • 2009, P. Tohomson, 14: Assessment of the paediatric patient, Ben Yates (editor), Merriman's Assessment of the Lower Limb, page 401,

     The patellae may be up to 30° externally rotated at birth. In young children it is considered normal for the patellae to be externally rotated, but by 5 years of age the patellae should face forwards.

2. A little dish or vase.

Synonyms

• (kneecap): kneecap, kneepan, rotula

Derived terms

Derived terms

• chondromalacia patellae
• patellar

• patellar reflex
• patellate

Translations

kneecap — see kneecap

Further reading

• patella in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• patella in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• patella at OneLook Dictionary Search

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Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛlla

Noun

patella f (plural patelle)

1. (anatomy) patella, kneecap, rotula
2. (mollusk) limpet

Derived terms

• patellare

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Latin

Etymology

Diminutive of patina (“a broad shallow dish, pan”) or patera.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /paˈtel.la/, [paˈtɛl.la]

Noun

patella f (genitive patellae); first declension

1. a small or shallow pan or dish
2. the kneecap, patella
3. a disease of the olive tree

Declension

First declension.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	patella	patellae
Genitive	patellae	patellārum
Dative	patellae	patellīs
Accusative	patellam	patellās
Ablative	patellā	patellīs
Vocative	patella	patellae

Derived terms

• patellula (New Latin)

Descendants

• Dalmatian: padella
• English: patella
• Old French: paelle
  • French: poêle, patelle
  • Catalan: paella
    • Spanish: paella
• Friulian: padiele
• Galician: paila
• Italian: padella
• Occitan: padèla

• Portuguese: patela
• Romansh: pateala, patela, patella
• Sicilian: padedda, paredda
• Spanish: padilla, paila
• Venetian: paeła
• Welsh: padell

References

• patella in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• patella in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• patella in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• patella in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• patella in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• patella in William Smith, editor (1848) A Dictionary of Greek Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray
• patella in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin