What does ulnar mean?
Ulnar is an anatomical adjective meaning relating to the ulna, the forearm bone on the little-finger side, or to that side of the wrist and hand. It is used in terms such as ulnar artery, ulnar nerve, and ulnar deviation, all of which describe structures or movements associated with the inner side of the forearm and hand. The word is especially common in medicine, anatomy, physiotherapy, and technical descriptions of injuries. For general readers, its most useful association is with the ulnar nerve, a major nerve of the forearm that passes through the wrist and influences sensation and movement in much of the hand. Although many ordinary English speakers may not encounter ulnar frequently, it provides a precise label for a medically important area and illustrates how anatomical vocabulary can distinguish closely related parts of the body.
adjectiveRelating to the ulna, the forearm bone on the little-finger side, or to the corresponding side of the wrist or hand.
- Relating to the ulna, the forearm bone on the little-finger side.
- Relating to or situated on the little-finger side of the wrist or hand.
"The doctor noted tenderness over the ulnar nerve at the wrist."
"The surgeon explained that the ulnar nerve passes through the wrist and supplies sensation to much of the hand."
"The patient's fingers drifted toward ulnar deviation after the injury."
Ulnar is anatomical shorthand for the little-finger side, as in the ulnar nerve that helps control the ring and little fingers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ulnar come from?
Ulnar comes from Latin ulnaris, meaning “pertaining to the ulna,” with ulna denoting the forearm or a forearm bone. English borrowed the term in the early 17th century for anatomical descriptions. Modern anatomical compounds such as ulnocarpal and ulnohumeral continue to use the same Latin root.
How ulnar is actually used
Primarily a medical and anatomical term. It may be used in clinical writing, anatomy, and descriptions of hand or wrist movement.
Easily confused with ulnar
The ulna is the forearm bone itself, whereas ulnar is an adjective describing anything related to that bone or its side of the body.