membrum

Membrum is a Latin noun meaning limb or member. In anatomical and historical contexts it designates a paired appendage of the body. In English-language medical writing the term survives primarily in Latin phrases such as membrum superius, the upper limb, and membrum inferius, the lower limb. In zoological and comparative anatomy, membrum is used to refer to a limb or similar appendage of an animal, including wings, fins, and analogous structures described in Latin scientific texts.

In humans, the upper limb consists of the shoulder girdle, arm (brachium), forearm (antebrachium), and hand (manus). The lower limb consists of the pelvic girdle, thigh (femur), leg (crus), and foot (pes). The limbs support a range of movements and functions, from manipulation and dexterity to locomotion, and they are common foci of injury and developmental variation in clinical practice.

Although membrum is less common in everyday usage, it remains a feature of formal anatomical terminology and historical or scholarly discussions of body organization. In contemporary medical language, the ordinary terms limb or appendage are preferred, with membrum appearing chiefly in Latin phrases used for specificity, tradition, or in the context of classical texts.