knuckle

IPA/ˈnʌkl/
KK[nˈʌkəl]IPA/ˈnʌkl/

knuckle — noun

  • knucklesingular
  • knucklesplural

1. One of the rounded joints in a finger, especially where the finger connects to t

1.nounA2
Definition

One of the rounded joints in a finger, especially where the finger connects to the hand and forms a bump when you close your fist.

Example

Wei cracked the knuckles on his right hand before sitting down at the piano.

collocation: crack one's knuckles

The boxer's knuckles were swollen and bruised after twelve rounds of fighting.

Common collocations
  • crack one's knuckles
  • rap one's knuckles on
  • graze one's knuckles
  • swollen knuckles
  • bare knuckles
Synonyms
  • joint

    more general — 'knuckle' is a specific type of joint at the finger base

  • finger joint

    more anatomical — 'knuckle' is the everyday word for the visible bump

Grammar Patterns

the knuckles of [possessive] hand

crack/pop one's knuckles

Usage Note

Often used in the plural (knuckles) when talking about all the finger joints together. 'Cracking one's knuckles' refers to pulling the finger joints to produce a popping sound — a common habit that is harmless despite old folk warnings.

Common Mistakes

He hurt his finger while punching the wall.
He hurt his knuckles while punching the wall.
The knuckle is the specific joint area that hits a surface; 'finger' refers to the whole digit.

2. A cut of meat from the lower leg joint of an animal, most often a pig, containin

2.nounB2
Definition

A cut of meat from the lower leg joint of an animal, most often a pig, containing the joint bone and the flesh around it, usually cooked slowly.

Example

Amara seasoned the pork knuckle with salt and garlic before putting it in the oven.

collocation: pork knuckle + season/roast

The German restaurant serves roasted knuckle of pork with sauerkraut and potatoes.

pattern: roasted knuckle of [animal]

Common collocations
  • pork knuckle
  • ham knuckle
  • roasted knuckle
  • braised knuckle
  • knuckle of lamb
Synonyms
  • ham hock

    a specific cut below the knuckle, closer to the foot; more common in American English

  • trotter

    refers to the foot portion, not the knuckle joint area

Grammar Patterns

pork/veal/lamb knuckle

knuckle of [animal]

Usage Note

In many cuisines, pork knuckle is the most common variety — popular dishes include German Schweinshaxe (roasted) and Chinese 滷豬膝 (braised). When no animal is named, 'knuckle' on a menu usually means pork knuckle.

Common Mistakes

She bought a pork knee to roast for dinner.
She bought a pork knuckle to roast for dinner.
The cut is called 'knuckle,' not 'knee,' even though it comes from the leg joint area.

knuckle — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Joint' is the broadest term, referring to any connection between bones in the body (knee, elbow, shoulder). 'Knuckle' names only the specific finger joints — especially the rounded bumps you see when making a fist. 'Finger joint' is a more anatomical but still everyday term for the same thing, though it can also describe the middle joints of a finger (not just the base). 'Phalanx' is the medical name for each finger bone; a knuckle sits between two phalanges. In everyday English, 'knuckle' is the only word a child would use when talking about cracking or scraping those joints. If you are describing a boxing injury, 'knuckle' is the right word; if you are describing arthritis at the middle of a finger, 'finger joint' may be clearer to a doctor.

knuckle ↗joint ↗finger jointphalanx

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • knuckle of [animal]
  • bare-knuckle [fighting]

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Knuckle' comes from Middle English 'knokel' (around 1200–1400), which itself evolved from Old English 'cnucel' — a small bone or finger joint. The Old English word goes back to a Proto-Germanic root *knuk(í)laz, related to German 'Knöchel' (ankle bone) and Dutch 'knokkel' (knuckle). The original sense has stayed very stable: it has always meant a finger joint. The verb sense ('to press with the knuckles') appeared in the 1800s, and the marbles-game meaning arrived around the same time as the game's peak popularity.