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

Example Sentences

A large number of media spent the rest of the afternoon googling “sacrum.”

From Seattle Times

She curls into a ball, pounding her fists against the floor, and later balances on her sacrum, torso gently circling, in a resemblance of yearning or prayer.

From New York Times

I was born without a sacrum, the bone that connects the spine to the pelvis.

From New York Times

She has congenital sacral agenesis, meaning she was born with no sacrum.

From Washington Post

It was an associated disorder, a type of arthritis known as sacroiliitis — an inflammation of the joint between the pelvic girdle and the sacrum, the triangular bone that forms the connection between the hips.

From New York Times

Related Words

• backside