carpal
n. countablen. one of the small bones in your wrist. There are eight of them, and they help you move your hand and fingers.
n. any of the eight small bones that form the wrist. These bones are arranged in two rows and serve as a transition between the radius and ulna of the forearm and the metacarpals of the hand.
The doctor checked for any injury to the carpal bones.
Repetitive strain injuries can often cause inflammation in the carpal tunnel, which is located near these small wrist bones.
The intricate arrangement of the carpal bones allows for the complex range of motion required for tasks such as typing, playing a musical instrument, or gripping objects with precision.
From the Latin carpālis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 30, 2026