| Term | Definition |
| process | any projection or bump on a bone |
| trochanter | large, rough projection on proximal end of femur |
| tuberosity | small, rough projection on shaft of bone for muscle attachment |
| tubercle | small, rounded projection at proximal end of humerus |
| crest | prominent ridge |
| line | a low ridge |
| spine | a pointed or narrow process |
| head | expanded articular end of an epiphysis, separated from the shaft by a neck |
| condyle | smooth, rounded articular process |
| facet | small, flat articular surface |
| fossa | a shallow depression |
| sulcus | a narrow groove |
| foramen | a rounded passageway for blood vessels or nerves |
| canal (or meatus) | passageway through the substance of a bone |
| fissure | an elongated cleft |
| sinus (or antrum) | a chamber within a bone, normally filled with air |
| epiphysis | joint end of bone, consists of spongy bone with thin cortex of compact bone |
| diaphysis | extended tubular shaft of a long bone |
| metaphysis | connects epiphysis to diaphysis |
| medullary (marrow) cavity | central space within compact bone |
| diploe | layer of spongy bone within the cranial bones |
| osteoid | organic matrix of bone before calcium salts are added |
| osteoprogenitor cell | mesenchymal bone cells that divide and differentiate into osteoblasts |
| osteoblast | cells that produce bone matrix (osteogenesis) |
| osteocyte | mature bone cells that account for most cells in bone; can't divide |
| osteoclast | cell that removes and recycles bone matrix |
| osteolysis | the erosion process of bone |
| osteogenesis | the process of creating bone matrix |
| central (Haversian) canal | canal for blood vessels within bone; runs parallel to bone surface |
| perforating (Volkmann) canal | canal for blood vessels within bone; runs perpendicular to bone surface |
| trabecula | struts and plates in spongy bone |
| endosteum | lining of the internal medullary cavity |
| endochondral ossification | process by which embryonic cartilage becomes bone |
| epiphysial plate | narrow band of cartilage that separates the epiphysis from the diaphysis |
| osteomalacia | condition in which bones appear normal, but are critically lacking in minerals |
| pott fracture | occurs at the ankle and affects both bones of the leg |
| comminuted fracture | shatter the affected area into a multitude of bony fragments |
| transverse fracture | break a bone shaft across its long axis |
| spiral fracture | produced by twisting stresses that spread along the length of bone |
| displaced fracture | produces new and abnormal bone arrangements |
| colles fracture | break in the distal portion of the radius (breaking a fall) |
| greenstick fracture | when one side of the shaft is broken, and the other only bent |
| epiphyseal fracture | occurs where bone matrix is undergoing calcification and chondrocytes are dying |
| compression fracture | occur in vertebrae subjected to extreme stresses |
| osteopenia | inadequate ossification of bone, happens with age |
| kyphosis | distortion of the spine producing a humpback |
| lordosis | distortion of the spine producing a swayback |
| scoliosis | abnormal lateral curvature of the spine |
| canaliculi | narrow passageways that connect lacunae; sources of nutrients |
| flat bone | thin, usually curved bones located in skull, sternum, ribs, scapulae |
| irregular bone | complex shaped bones of vertebra, pelvis, auditory ossicles |
| lamella | layers of matrix that sandwich a pocket called the lacuna |
| long bone | long and slender bones located in arms, legs, hands, feet |
| osteon | basic functional unit of compact bone |
| periosteum | membrane that surrounds bone, provides route for nervous and circulatory supply |
| sesamoid bone | small, flat bones shaped like sesame seeds (patella) |
| short bone | small, boxy bones of carpal and tarsals |
| sutural bone | flat, irregularly shaped bones between flat bones of skull (wormian) |
| endosteum | layer in the medullary cavity that covers trabeculae of spongy bone |
| endochondral ossification | process by which bone replaces cartilage |
| intramembranous ossification | process by which bone develops directly from mesenchyme or connective tissue |
| spicule | small strut of bone that grow from the ossification center |
| anterior fontanelle | largest fontanelle; between frontal, sagital, and coronal sutures |
| occipital fontanelle | fontanelle at the junction between lambdoid and sagittal sutures |
| sphenoid fontanelle | fontanelle at the junction between squamous and coronal sutures |
| mastoid fontanelle | fontanelle at the junction between squamous and lambdoid sutures |
| primary (accomodation) curve | curves in the thoracic and sacral region of the spine |
| secondary (compensation) curve | curves in the cervical and lumbar region of the spine |
| synarthrosis | any one of a variety of immovable joints |
| suture | immovable joint between the bones of skull |
| gomphosis | joint that binds teeth to bony sockets |
| synchondrosis | joint that binds two bones by rigid cartilagenous bridge (ex: ribs and sternum) |
| synotosis | joint that completely fuses two bones (ex: frontal suture of frontal bone) |
| amphiarthrosis | any one of a variety of slightly movable joints |
| syndesmosis | joint that attaches bones with ligaments (ex: tibia and fibula) |
| symphysis | joint that attaches bones with fibrocartilage (ex: between vertebrae or pelvic bones) |
| diarthrosis | type of freely movable joint |
| meniscus | pad of fibrous cartilage situated between opposing bone within a synovial joint |
| fat pad | masses of adipose tissue in a synovial joint |
| bursa | filled with synovial fluid and covered by synovial membrane; cushion tendons and ligaments in snynovial joints |
| gliding joint | joint that permits movement on a single plane (ex: intercarpal joints) |
| hinge joint | joint that permits angular motion in a single plane (ex: knee, ankle) |
| pivot joint | joint that permits only rotation (ex: atlas, axis) |
| ellipsoid joint | biaxial joint that pit one bone into the depression of another and permit angular motion in two planes (ex: radiocarpal) |
| saddle joint | biaxial joint with one concave and one convex surface, permit angular motion, but not rotation (ex: thumb) |
| ball and socket joint | triaxial joint that permit all combinations of movements (ex: shoulder, hip) |
| intervertebral disc | pad of fibrous cartilage that cushion and separate vertebrae |
| anulus fibrosus | outer layer of fibrous cartilage in intervertebral disc |
| nucleus pulposus | soft, gelatinous core of intervertebral disc |
| glenoid cavity | socket of the scapula into which the humerus fits |
| glenoid labrum | fibrocartilage that extends beyond the glenoid cavity to deepen the socket |
| acetabulum | deep fossa in the coxal bone that accomodates the head of the femur |
| rheumatism | general term for pain and stiffness affecting the skeletal and/or muscular system |
| arthritis | all rheumatic diseases that affect synovial joints |
| osteoarthritis | condition where joint surfaces are worn away |
| rheumatoid arthritis | inflammatory condition, often where immune response mistakenly attacks joint tissues |
| gout | condition where uric acid accumulates within synovial fluid of joints |
| olecranon | prominence of elbow |
| coronoid process | anterior ridge of elbow joint |
| styloid process | pointy part of distal radius and ulna |
| greater/lesser trochanter | large lump distal to head of femur, smaller lump beneath it |
| linea aspera | ridge along shaft of femur |
| patellar surface | area between condyles/epicondyles on anterior distal femur |
| distal capitulum | rounded bulge at distal end of humerus |
| trochlea | u-shaped surface at distal end of humerus |
| deltoid tuberosity | bulge on shaft of humerus |
| olecranon fossa | depression between epicondyles on humerus |
| acromion | larger, posterior process of the scapula |
| coracoid process | smaller, anterior process of the scapula |
| fovea capitis | small pit in the femoral head |