Rotulae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of small bone, specifically referring to the patella, commonly known as the kneecap
2. A term used in anatomy to describe a similar bone structure found in various organisms
3. The plural form of rotula, indicating multiple instances of such small bone structures in different contexts

Etymology: "Rotulae" is the plural of "rotula," the Latin diminutive of "rota," meaning "wheel." The kneecap was given this name because its small, round shape was thought to resemble a little wheel or disc, and the plural form appears whenever more than one such bone is in view, as in anatomical descriptions of paired knees. The English word "rotula" was borrowed directly from Latin as a learned term, so it kept its Latin shape rather than being worn down through everyday speech. That is also why it sits so oddly beside its own relatives: "role" and "roll" are doublets of "rotula," meaning they descend from the same Latin root "rota" by a different route. A roll of paper and a theatrical role both began as something turned round, a little wheel, while the kneecap kept the diminutive form in its anatomical name.

Synonyms: kneecaps, patellae, patellas