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"wrist" in seven languages

Meaningwrist

Spanish

muñeca

/muˈɲeka/

fem.other source · of uncertain origin (the same word as muñeca 'doll')

French

poignet

/pwaɲɛ/

masc.other source · poing 'fist' (Latin PUGNUM) + -et

Italian

polso

/ˈpolso/

masc.inherited

Also the pulse itself: sentire il polso.

Portuguese

pulso

/ˈpuwsu/

masc.learned

Also the pulse itself.

Romanian

încheietură

/ɨnkejeˈturə/

fem.other source · încheia 'to join, fasten' (of Latin origin) + -tură

Any joint; the wrist is încheietura mâinii.

Catalan

canell

/kəˈneʎ/

masc.other source · probably from Latin CANNA 'reed, tube' (via a diminutive)

English

wrist

/ɹɪst/

native English · Old English wrist

English → ItalianwristpolsoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: pulse, impulse.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

PULSUM‘a beat (of the pulse)’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Italians and Portuguese named the wrist after the pulse you take there (polso, pulso). French made it 'the little fist', and in Spanish the wrist and the doll are the same word, muñeca.

English relatives: pulse, impulse

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In a sentence

  • esMe he torcido la muñeca.
  • frJe me suis foulé le poignet.
  • itMi sono slogato il polso.
  • ptTorci o pulso.
  • roMi-am scrântit încheietura mâinii.
  • caM'he torçat el canell.
  • enI sprained my wrist.

More in The body

All The body words