femur
UK[ˈfiːmə]US[ˈfiːmər]
n
the long bone in the upper part of the leg, between the hip and the knee; the thigh bone.
Etymology
The word 'femur' was borrowed directly from Latin, where it meant 'thigh'. The Latin term is of uncertain deeper origin, though some scholars tentatively connect it to the Proto-Indo-European root dʰeh₁-mr-, from dʰeh₁(y)- meaning 'to suck, suckle', possibly via an ancient association with the thigh as a fleshy, nourishing part of the body. In classical Latin, 'femur' specifically referred to the thigh, and this anatomical meaning was preserved as the term entered scientific English in the 17th century. Today, in modern medical and general English, 'femur' retains this precise denotation, referring authoritatively to the long bone of the upper leg.
Analysis
the word 'femur' is a simplex loanword from latin. it does not contain separable morphemes in modern english spelling.
Examples
he fractured his femur in a skiing accident.
the femur is the longest and strongest bone in the human body.
the surgeon inserted a metal rod to stabilize the broken femur.