sacrum

American  

[sak-ruhm, sey-kruhm] / ˈsæk rəm, ˈseɪ krəm /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

sacra

1. a bone resulting from the fusion of two or more vertebrae between the lumbar and the coccygeal regions, in humans being composed usually of five fused vertebrae and forming the posterior wall of the pelvis.

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sacrum British  

/ ˈsækrəm, ˈseɪkrəm /

noun

1. (in man) the large wedge-shaped bone, consisting of five fused vertebrae, in the lower part of the back

2. the corresponding part in some other vertebrates

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sacrum Scientific  

/ sā′krəm,săk′rəm /

plural

sacra

1. A triangular bone at the base of the spine, above the coccyx (tailbone), that forms the rear section of the pelvis. In humans it is made up of five vertebrae that fuse together by adulthood.

2. See more at skeleton

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Etymology

Origin of sacrum

1745–55; < Late Latin ( os ) sacrum holy (bone), translation of Greek hieròn ostéon

Compare meaning

How does sacrum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sacrum vs. coccyx

Explanation

The sacrum is the large, triangle-shaped bone at the base of the spine. Many, though not all, animals with a backbone also have a sacrum. In humans, the sacrum sits wedged between the two hip bones, connecting the lowest vertebra of the spine with the tailbone or coccyx. A man's sacrum is slightly different from a woman's: it's taller and narrower, with a larger curve. The word comes from the Latin phrase os sacrum, or "sacred bone," and it was named this way because the large sacrum of animals was often a part of ritual sacrifices in ancient times.

Example Sentences

But Ver Sacrum produces this wine with semicarbonic fermentation, a method common in Beaujolais and in many natural wines, yielding a juicy, aromatic, immediately pleasing wine.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2022

Recalling the works – Mozart's opera The Magic Flute and Stravinsky's choral-orchestral masterpiece, Canticum Sacrum – transports him back to his childhood, a place of energy and enthusiasm.

From The Guardian • Jul. 1, 2013

Figure 7.29 Sacrum and Coccyx The sacrum is formed from the fusion of five sacral vertebrae, whose lines of fusion are indicated by the transverse ridges.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

He wasn’t the only performer at Sacrum Profanum with pop-music credentials — the bill also included the techno provocateur Aphex Twin and Adrian Utley, from the trip-hop band Portishead.

From New York Times • Mar. 10, 2012

Sacrum diis, Salutem dicit, Senatus decreto, Sententiam  S.D.M.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• backside