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Which bone is the kneecap?

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Front and back views of the human skeleton are shown side by side, with labeled bones including the skull, spine, ribs, pelvis, arms, legs, hands, and feet. Insets detail the bones of the foot and hand, highlighting major bone groups and anatomical terms. — human skeleton Front and back views of the human skeleton.

The kneecap is the patella, a thick, flat, triangular, and movable bone that forms the anterior point of the knee.12

It rests upon the ends of the femur and serves to protect the front of the knee joint, while also preventing the tibia from moving too far forward when the leg is bent. The patella is held within a capsular apparatus that allows it to swing freely up and down on the front surface of the femur during movement.132