shinbone

Meaning

1. The inner and usually the larger of the two bones of the leg or hind limb below the knee
2. A segment of an insect's leg.

Etymology

From Middle English schinboon, schineboon, from Old English sċinbān (“shin, shinbone”), from Proto-West Germanic *skinubain, from Proto-Germanic *skinōbainą, equivalent to shin + bone. Cognate with Dutch scheenbeen (“shinbone”), German Schienbein (“shinbone”), Danish skinneben (“shin, shinbone”), Swedish skenben (“shinbone”).