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Definition of "acetabulum" [ac•e•tab•u•lum]

  • Anatomy The cup-shaped cavity at the base of the hipbone into which the ball-shaped head of the femur fits. (noun)
  • Zoology The cavity in the body of an insect into which the leg fits. (noun)
  • Zoology A cup-shaped structure, such as the sucker of a tapeworm or leech. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "acetabulum" in a sentence
  • "My acetabulum has been a bit creaky, and my respiratory system is backed up with irritant. *sniff*"
  • "It consists of three parts, the ilium, ischium, and pubis, which are distinct from each other in the young subject, but are fused in the adult; the union of the three parts takes place in and around a large cup-shaped articular cavity, the acetabulum, which is situated near the middle of the outer surface of the bone."
  • "Between the inferior gluteal line and the upper part of the acetabulum is a rough, shallow groove, from which the reflected tendon of the Rectus femoris arises."