name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The part between the main part of the hindlimb and the metatarsus in terrestrial vertebrates.; A group of small bones in this part of the foot. The seven bones of the human tarsus form the ankle and upper part of the foot.
2. 2
   the part of the foot of a vertebrate between the metatarsus and the leg; in human beings the bones of the ankle and heel collectively wordnet
3. 3
   The part between the main part of the hindlimb and the metatarsus in terrestrial vertebrates.; The shank or tarsometatarsus of the leg of a bird or reptile.

   "On the ledge, the guillemots shuffle awkwardly about on their tarsi, the long bone connecting the ‘ankle’ to the feet."

4. 4
   The part between the main part of the hindlimb and the metatarsus in terrestrial vertebrates.; The true foot or the fifth joint of the leg of an insect or other arthropod, typically consisting of several small segments and ending in a claw.
5. 5
   A plate of dense connective tissue found in each eyelid, attached to either the superior tarsal muscle (in the upper eyelid) or inferior tarsal muscle (lower eyelid), which aid with sympathetic control.

Proper Noun

1. 1
   A city in Mersin Province in southeastern Turkey, an important center of Cilicia since antiquity.

Synonyms

All synonyms

ankleantiochantioch on the cydnusbayonet legsbonebowlegs

Example

More examples

"The apostle Paul was born in Tarsus."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Borrowed from New Latin tarsus.

Etymology 2

From Latin Tarsus, from Ancient Greek Ταρσός (Tarsós), ultimately from Hittite Tarsa.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.