In human anatomy, the palmar or volar interossei (interossei volares in older literature) are four muscles, one on the thumb that is occasionally missing, and three small, unipennate, central muscles in the hand that lie between the metacarpal bones and are attached to the index, ring, and little fingers.

In human anatomy, the dorsal interossei are four muscles in the back of the hand that act to abduct (spread) the index, middle, and ring fingers away from the hand's midline (ray of middle finger) and assist in flexion at the metacarpophalangeal joints and extension at the interphalangeal joints of the index, middle and ring fingers.