Nilkka

Nilkka is the Finnish word for the ankle, the region where the foot connects to the leg. In human anatomy, the ankle comprises the tibia, fibula, and talus, forming the talocrural joint which enables dorsiflexion and plantarflexion and supports weight transfer during standing and movement.

In Finnish medical and everyday language, nilkka refers specifically to this region. Related terms include nilkanivel, the ankle joint, and expressions such as nilkankipu for ankle pain. The word inflects for grammar in Finnish, with forms such as nilkka (nominative), nilkan (genitive), and nilkkaa (partitive).

Etymology is not extensively documented in widely available sources, but nilkka is a standard native Finnish term with long-standing usage in medical, educational, and colloquial contexts. It is considered a basic vocabulary element of the Finnish language and is used across clinical descriptions, anatomy texts, and everyday speech.

See also: polvi (knee), jalkaterä (foot), nilkanivel (ankle joint). Nilkka thus functions as the everyday term for the ankle in Finnish, while more technical descriptions may refer specifically to the ankle joint as nilkanivel or to related regional anatomy and movements.