coxal

American  

[kok-suhl] / ˈkɒk səl /

adjective

1. Anatomy.

   1. relating to or being the innominate bone.

      The sacrum, at the base of the vertebral column, is wedged between the two coxal bones of the pelvis.

   2. being or relating to the joint of the hip.

      The coxal joint is the point where the ball of the femur inserts into the socket of the hip bone.

2. Zoology. being or relating to the first or proximal segment of the leg of insects and other arthropods.

   The tick digests the blood by means of a structure called the coxal gland, located on each of its front legs.

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Other Word Forms

• postcoxal adjective

Etymology

Origin of coxal

coxa ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

In adults, the hip bones, or coxal bones, are formed by the fusion of three pairs of bones: the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Patella -ae: the modified joints of anterior tarsi in Dytiscidae; plate- like, horny or spongy structures on the undersides of the tarsal joints: the first coxal joint.

From Explanation of Terms Used in Entomology by Smith, John. B.

Bostrychoidea.—This tribe is distinguished from the Malacoderma and allied groups by the mesothoracic epimera not bounding the coxal cavities of the intermediate legs.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

In M. exilii all the coxal lamellae are of the ordinary formation.

From Facts and Arguments for Darwin by Muller, Fritz

In most cases, however, the palp loses its exopodite and it often disappears altogether, while the coxal segment forms the body of the mandible, with a masticatory edge variously armed with teeth and spines.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various