noun
coccyx
KOK-siks/ˈkɑːksɪks/
The small triangular bone at the base of the spine.
The coccyx forms the small, pointed end of the spine.
Etymology
Greek kokkyx means “cuckoo.” Galen applied the name to the fused bones at the spine’s base because they supposedly resembled a cuckoo’s moderately curved beak.
In context
the coccyx or tailbone is made up of four fused bones which provide attachment points for ligaments and muscles of the pelvic floor
More examples
- She bruised her coccyx when she slipped on the stairs.
- The X-ray shows a small fracture in his coccyx.
- This cushion reduces pressure on my coccyx while I sit.
Forms
coccyx · coccyges · coccyxes
coccygeal adjective — Relating to the bone called the coccyx.
Similar words
- tailbone
- The everyday name for the same bone.