Talus (which is Latin for ankle-bone), has several meanings:
in mountaineering and climbing, talus is small broken rock found on mountain slopes and at the base of cliffs. It is used interchangeably with scree.
in Greek mythology, Talus is an alternate spelling for Talos, a rock throwing creature.
in anatomy, the talus bone of the ankle joint connects the leg to the foot.
in architecture, the slope of an embankment wall, which is thicker at the bottom than at the top, to resist the pressure of the earth behind it. (originally from 1911 Encyclopedia)
