thigh
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /θˈaɪ/
US
- /ˈθaɪ/
Description
- Upper leg
- Between hip and knee
- Strong part for movement
The thigh is the upper part of your leg, running from the hip to the knee. It is a strong area that helps you walk, run, jump, and stand. Think about a sprinter pushing off the starting blocks; this part of the leg is doing a lot of the work. You will often hear the word in fashion, such as "thigh-high boots," and in medical talk about muscle strains, bruises, or femur injuries.
The thigh is the part of the leg between the hip and the knee. Inside it is the femur, often called the thigh bone, which is the longest and strongest bone in the human body. This area also contains large muscle groups, especially the quadriceps at the front and the hamstrings at the back. These muscles are important for walking, running, jumping, climbing, and keeping your balance.
Beyond anatomy, the word also appears in everyday life. In fashion, it often describes length or fit, as in "thigh-high socks" or "thigh-length skirts." In sports and health, people talk about this area when discussing pulled muscles, soreness, bruises, or more serious injuries such as a broken femur.
Because it is so important for movement and strength, the thigh comes up often in medicine, exercise, and daily conversation. Whether someone is talking about muscle pain after a long run, the fit of a piece of clothing, or an injury after a fall, this word usually points to that strong upper section of the leg.
Examples
- 1
Running injury
She felt a sharp pain in her thigh after the long run.
- 2
Medical injection
The nurse gave him the injection in the upper thigh.
- 3
Family closeness
The little boy sat on his grandfather's thigh and listened to the story.
- 4
Clothing fit
These jeans fit at the waist, but they are too tight around the thighs.
- 5
Laughter reaction
He slapped his thigh and laughed when he heard the joke.
Phrase
slap your thigh
hit your leg as a strong reaction, often when laughing
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- thighnoun
Forms
- thighspluralnoun