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Synonyms

pelvis

American  
[pel-vis] / ˈpɛl vɪs /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

plural

pelvises, pelves

  1. the basinlike cavity in the lower part of the trunk of many vertebrates, formed in humans by the innominate bones, sacrum, etc.

  2. the bones forming this cavity.

  3. the cavity of the kidney that receives the urine before it is passed into the ureter.

pelvis British  
/ ˈpɛlvɪs /

noun

  1. the large funnel-shaped structure at the lower end of the trunk of most vertebrates: in man it is formed by the hipbones and sacrum

  2. the bones that form this structure

  3. any anatomical cavity or structure shaped like a funnel or cup

  4. short for renal pelvis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
pelvis Scientific  
/ pĕl′vĭs /

plural

pelvises

  1. The basin-shaped structure in vertebrate animals that joins the spine and lower or hind limbs. In primates, the pelvis is composed of the two hipbones joined to the sacrum. It contains, protects, and supports the intestines, bladder, and internal reproductive organs.

pelvis Cultural  

  1. The bowl-shaped group of bones connecting the trunk of the body to the legs and supporting the spine. The pelvis includes the hip bones and the lower part of the backbone.

Etymology

Origin of pelvis

1605–15; < New Latin; Latin: basin; akin to Greek pellís bowl

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By the time she was diagnosed, she had reached stage 4, with deep infiltrating endometriosis spread across her ligaments, intestine, pelvis, ovaries and uterus.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Leah Matthews, 32, from Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, broke ribs, her pelvis, hip and her foot in the fall last October on a visit to Henrhyd Falls in Neath with her partner.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

It often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

If your pelvis sits at an angle—maybe because your legs are different lengths, maybe because you have scoliosis—the midline of the buttocks can tilt, and, boom, a crooked crack.

From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026

And Lee carefully packed the bones, femurs, and tibias really straight, skull in the middle, with pelvis and clavicle surrounding it and ribs curving on either side.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.