# patella

> English word · Noun · IPA /pəˈtɛlə/ · frequency rank #54,379

## Definitions
1. The sesamoid bone of the knee; the kneecap.
2. A little dish or vase.
3. An orbicular sessile apothecium, with a marginal rim distinct from the thallus.

## Etymology
From Latin patella (“a small pan or dish, a plate; the kneepan, patella”), diminutive of patina (“a broad shallow dish, pan”). Doublet of paella.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/patella