tibia

tibia, shinbone

noun TEE-byah Rare

Origin: From Latin tibia (shin, also a type of flute).

Also means

lukewarm (adjective, separate word)

Usage Note

Tibia as a noun is the shinbone — the larger of the two lower-leg bones, paired with the peroné (fibula). As an adjective (tibio/tibia) it means lukewarm, which is a completely separate word that happens to share the feminine form. A learner who knows tibio (lukewarm) should be aware that la tibia (with the article) unambiguously refers to the bone.

Examples

"Se fracturó la tibia durante el partido."

Natural Translation

She fractured her tibia during the match.

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