Humerus (the funny bone) – the etymology

The humerus (ME from Latin humerus, umerus upper arm, shoulder; Gothic ams shoulder, Greek ?mos) is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. Anatomically, it connects the scapula and the ulna, and consists of the following three sections:

The ulnar nerve at the distal end of the humerus near the elbow is sometimes referred to in popular culture as ‘the funny bone’. Striking this nerve can cause a tingling sensation (“funny” feeling), and sometimes a significant amount of pain.