acetabulum

noun

ac·e·tab·u·lum ˌa-sə-ˈta-byə-ləm

plural acetabulums or acetabula ˌa-sə-ˈta-byə-lə

: a ventral sucker of a trematode

: the cup-shaped socket in the hip bone

acetabular

ˌa-sə-ˈta-byə-lər

adjective

Examples of acetabulum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The orthopedic surgeon performed a nine hour surgery on the actress, replacing her acetabulum with titanium. —

Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024 The hip is a ball-in-socket joint where the head of the femur (upper leg bone) sits in the acetabulum, a socket in the pelvic bone. —

Milo F. Bryant, Men's Health, 8 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin acētābulum "small cup (originally used for vinegar), sucker of a polyp, socket of the hip bone," from acētum "vinegar" + -a- (by analogy with derivatives formed from verbs, as vocābulum vocable) + -bulum, instrument suffix (going back to Indo-European *-d^hlom) — more at acetic acid

Note: Late Indo-European apparently possessed several deverbal instrumental suffixes of similar shape (*-d^hlo-, *-tlo-, *-d^hro-, *-tro-, perhaps all originally < *-tro-, zero-grade of the agent suffix -tor), which are unevenly attested and partially conflated in the daughter languages. Note in Latin rōstrum "beak, rostrum"; crībrum "sieve" (see cribriform); obstāculum obstacle; stabulum stable entry 1.

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of acetabulum was in 1661

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Acetabulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acetabulum. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Medical Definition

acetabulum

noun

ac·e·tab·u·lum -ˈtab-yə-ləm

plural acetabulums or acetabula -lə

: the cup-shaped socket in the hip bone

: a sucker of an invertebrate (as a trematode or leech)

acetabular

-lər

adjective

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acetabulum

noun

Examples of acetabulum in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near acetabulum

Cite this Entry

Medical Definition