pastern

UK: /ˈpæstən/ US: (pas′tərn)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pas•tern  (pas′tərn), n. 

1. Zoology the part of the foot of a horse, cow, etc., between the fetlock and the hoof. See diag. under horse. 
2. Zoology either of the two bones of this part, the upper or first phalanx (great pastern bone) and the lower or second phalanx (small pastern bone,) between which is a joint (pas′tern joint′.)

• Vulgar Latin *pastōria herding (see pastor, -ia) + Middle French -on noun, nominal suffix
• Middle English pastron shackle, probably same word as Middle French pasturon, pastern 1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pastern / ˈpæstən/ noun

1. the part of a horse's foot between the fetlock and the hoof

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French pasturon, from pasture a hobble, from Latin pāstōrius of a shepherd, from pastor