psoas

American  

[soh-uhs] / ˈsoʊ əs /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

psoai, psoae

1. either of two muscles, one on each side of the loin, extending internally from the sides of the spinal column to the upper end of the femur, which assist in flexing and rotating the thigh and flexing the trunk on the pelvis.

---

psoas British  

/ ˈsəʊəs /

noun

1. either of two muscles of the loins that aid in flexing and rotating the thigh

---

Other Word Forms

• psoatic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of psoas

1675–85; < New Latin < Greek psóās, accusative plural (taken as nominative singular) of psóa a muscle of the loins

Example Sentences

One of the exercises involves lying on a psoas ball.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2024

Nadal, who won his 14th French Open title last year, was diagnosed with a tear in his left psoas muscle after losing in the second round of the Australian Open in January.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2023

“But I had a labral tear and my psoas muscle was almost severed due to a structural abnormality in my hip. It wasn’t pretty.”

From New York Times • Aug. 30, 2019

I’ve been under the ministrations of many physical therapists who knead and rub and press my mercurial, angry psoas.

From Salon • Jul. 26, 2015

The best illustration of this is seen in the psoas abscess, which may originate in the dorsal vertebræ, extend downwards within the sheath of the psoas muscle, and finally appear in the thigh.

From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Thomson, Alexis