Funny Bone
Preserved but no longer current.
A pun on the word humerus, the Latin (and hence scientific) name for the upper bone of the arm. It is the inner condyle of this, or, to speak untechnically, the knob, or enlarged end of the bone terminating where the ulnar nerve is exposed at the elbow. A knock on this bone at the elbow produces a painful sensation.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Funny Bone” mean?
A pun on the word humerus, the Latin (and hence scientific) name for the upper bone of the arm. It is the inner condyle of this, or, to speak untechnically, the knob, or enlarged end of the bone terminating where the ulnar nerve is exposed at the elbow. A knock on this bone at the elbow produces a painful sensation.
Is “Funny Bone” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.