triquetral, a.
(traɪˈkwɛtrəl, -ˈkwiːtrəl)
[f. L. triquetr-us (see below) + -al1.]
= triquetrous.
triquetral bone, (a) (in pl.), small bones of irregular triangular form, sometimes found in the sutures of the skull; also called Wormian bones; (b) an approximately pyramidal bone of the wrist that articulates with the pisiform bone; = cuneiform bone (a) s.v. cuneiform a. 1; also ellipt. as triquetral.
| 1646 Prynne Laud 124 Plate for the Chappell... A triquetrall Censor. 1804 Shaw Gen. Zool. V. 420 Triquetral Trunk-fish. 1861 H. Hagen Synopsis Neuroptera N. Amer. 159 Abdomen triquetral. 1913 Cunningham's Text-bk. Anat. (ed. 4) 223 An exceptional case..in which the centres for the capitate and triquetral bones were already present [at birth]. 1961 S. Zuckerman New Syst. Anat. i. iv. 84 The triquetral bone forms a conspicuous prominence distal to the head of the ulna on the medial border of the dorsum of the hand. 1980 Gray's Anat. (ed. 36) 371/2 The palmar and dorsal surfaces of the carpal bones, apart from the triquetral and pisiform, are rough for the attachment of ligaments. |