coffin bone

noun

: the principal bone enclosed within the hoof of a horse

called also pedal bone

Examples of coffin bone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The tissue between the hoof and the coffin bone, the lowest bone in a horse, becomes inflamed and in the some cases the two parts separate. John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2023 Secretariat had an extremely severe case of laminitis, which meant there was excruciating damage to the tissue between his hoof and underlying coffin bone. The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coffin bone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1720, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coffin bone was circa 1720

Dictionary Entries Near coffin bone

Cite this Entry

“Coffin bone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coffin%20bone. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

coffin bone

noun
cof·​fin bone ˈkȯ-fən- How to pronounce coffin bone (audio)
: the principal bone within the hoof of many ungulates (such as horses, cows, or goats)

called also pedal bone

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