fibulae

Noun

fibula (plural fibulae or fibulas or (obsolete) fibulæ)

1. An ancient kind of brooch used to hold clothing together, similar in function to the modern safety pin.
   • Most of the fibulae have a triangular molding above the notch, which probably contained wound wire. The crossbar is decorated either with a flat knob or with a Persian merlon.1949, N. P. Toll, “Fibulae”, in Teresa G. Frisch, N. P. Toll, edited by M[ikhail] I[vanovich] Rostoftzeff, A. R. Bellinger, F. E. Brown, N. P. Toll, and C. B. Welles, The Excavations at Dura-Europos...
2. The smaller of the two bones in the lower leg.

   Synonyms:

   calf bone