- limb
- 1. An extremity; a member; an arm or leg. SYN: member. 2. A segment of any jointed structure. SEE ALSO: leg, crus. [A.S. lim]- ampullary membranous limbs of semicircular ducts [TA] the dilated ends of the three semicircular ducts, each of which contains a specialized thickening of the epithelium known as the ampullary crest. SYN: crura membranacea ampullaria ductuum semicircularium [TA], ampullary crura of semicircular ducts.- anterior l. of internal capsule [TA] the portion of the internal capsule between the head of the caudate nucleus and the putamen; it lies anterior to the genu of the internal capsule. SYN: crus anterius capsulae internae [TA].- anterior l. of stapes [TA] the anterior of the two delicate curving limbs of the stapes that pass from the head of the bone to the base or footplate. SYN: crus anterius stapedis [TA], anterior crus of stapes.- limbs of bony semicircular canals SYN: bony limbs of semicircular canals.- bony limbs of semicircular canals [TA] the extremities of the bony semicircular canals in which the corresponding membranous limbs of the semicircular ducts are located; they are the common bony limbs (crus osseum commune), simple bony limbs (crus osseum simplex), and ampullary bony limbs (crus ossea ampullaria). SYN: crura of bony semicircular canals, crura ossea canalium semicircularium, limbs of bony semicircular canals.- common membranous l. of membranous semicircular ducts SYN: common membranous l. of semicircular ducts.- common membranous l. of semicircular ducts [TA] the united, nonampullary ends of the superior and posterior semicircular ducts. SYN: crus membranaceum commune ductuum semicircularium [TA], common crus of semicircular ducts, common membranous l. of membranous semicircular ducts.- inferior l. SYN: lower l..- long l. of incus [TA] the process of the incus that articulates with the stapes. SYN: crus longum incudis [TA], long crus of incus.- lower l. [TA] the hip, thigh, leg, ankle, and foot. SYN: inferior member [TA], membrum inferius [TA], inferior l., lower extremity, pelvic l..- pelvic l. SYN: lower l..- posterior l. of internal capsule [TA] that subdivision of the internal capsule caudal to the genu and located between the thalamus and lentiform nucleus. SYN: crus posterius capsulae internae [TA].- posterior l. of stapes [TA] the posterior of the two delicate limbs of the stapes that connect the head and base or footplate of the bone. SYN: crus posterius stapedis [TA], posterior crus of stapes.- retrolentiform l. of internal capsule [TA] the portion of the internal capsule located caudal to the posterior l. of the internal capsule and the lenticular (lentiform) nucleus. SEE ALSO: retrolenticular part of internal capsule. SYN: pars retrolentiformis cruris posterior [TA], retrolenticular l. of internal capsule.- short l. of incus [TA] the short crus of incus; the process of the incus that fits into a depression (fossa incudis) in the epitympanic recess. SYN: crus breve incudis [TA], short crus of incus.- simple membranous l. of semicircular duct [TA] the non-ampullary end of the lateral semicircular duct that opens independently into the utricle. SYN: crus membranaceum simplex ductus semicircularis [TA], simple crus of semicircular duct.- sublentiform l. of internal capsule [TA] the portion of the internal capsule located ventral to caudal portions of the lenticular nucleus. SEE ALSO: sublenticular part of internal capsule. SYN: pars sublentiformis cruris posterioris [TA], sublenticular l. of internal capsule.- superior l. SYN: upper l..- thoracic l. SYN: upper l..- upper l. [TA] the shoulder, arm, forearm, wrist, and hand. SYN: membrum superius [TA], superior member [TA], superior l., thoracic l., upper extremity.
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limb 'lim n1) one of the projecting paired appendages (as an arm, wing, fin, or parapodium) of an animal body made up of diverse tissues (as epithelium, muscle, and bone) derived from two or more germ layers and concerned esp. with movement and grasping but sometimes modified into sensory or sexual organs esp a human leg or arm2) a branch or arm of something (as an anatomical part) <the descending \limb of Henle's loop>* * *
(lim) 1. one of the paired appendages of the body used in locomotion or grasping. The terms arm and leg are commonly used for the human upper and lower limbs, but in technical anatomical terminology those terms refer to only part of their respective limbs. In embryology, the skeleton of each limb is divided into four main parts: the zonoskeleton, comprising the scapula and clavicle (as a unit) and the hip bone; the stylopodium, comprising the humerus and femur; the zygopodium, comprising the radius and ulna and the tibia and fibula; and the autopodium, comprising the hand and the foot. Called also member and extremity. 2. a structure or part resembling an arm or leg.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
