Dictionary Definition
acetabulum n : the cup-shaped hollow in the
hipbone into which the head of the femur fits to form a
ball-and-socket joint [syn: cotyloid
cavity] [also: acetabula (pl)]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Etymology
etyl la acetabulum, from acetum, from acerePronunciation
Noun
- In the context of "Roman Antiquities": a vinegar cup;
- In the context of "Roman Antiquities": the socket of the hipbone;
- In the context of "Roman Antiquities": a measure of about one eighth of a pint
- The bony cup which receives the head of the thigh bone.
- The cavity in which the leg of an insect is inserted at its articulation with the body.
- A sucker of the sepia or cuttlefish and related animals.
- The large posterior sucker of the leeches.
- One of the lobes of the placenta in ruminating animals.
Translations
Roman Antiquities: Vinegar cup
Roman Antiquities: Socket of the hipbone
Roman Antiquities: about one eighth of a
pint
Anatomy: bony cup that receives the head of the
thigh bone
Anatomy: Cavity in which the leg of an insect is
insect is inserted
Anatomy: Sucker of the sepia or cuttlefish
Anatomy: The large posterior sucker of the
leeches
Anatomy: One of the lobes of the placenta in the
ruminating animals
Derived terms
Latin
- A little saucer for vinegar, acetabulum
Extensive Definition
The acetabulum is a concave
surface of the pelvis.
The head
of the femur meets with the pelvis at the acetabulum, forming
the hip
joint.
Structure
There are three bones of the os coxae (hip bone) that come together to form the acetabulum. Contributing a little more than two-fifths of the structure is the ischium, which provides lower and side boundaries to the acetabulum. The ilium forms the upper boundary, providing a little less than two-fifths of the structure of the acetabulum. The rest is formed by the pubis, near the midline.It is bounded by a prominent uneven rim, which is
thick and strong above, and serves for the attachment of the
acetabular labrum, which reduces its opening, and deepens the
surface for formation of the hip joint. At the lower part of the
acetabulum is the acetabular
notch, which is continuous with a circular depression, the
acetabular fossa, at the bottom of the cavity of the acetabulum.
The rest of the acetabulum is formed by a curved, crescent-moon
shaped surface, the lunate surface, where the joint
is made with the head of the
femur. Its counterpart in the pectoral girdle is the glenoid
fossa.
Etymology
The word acetabulum means "little vinegar cup", and was the Latin word for a small vessel for storing vinegar (see acetabulum). The word was later also used as a unit of volume, equal to roughly 270 ml.Additional images
External links
- - "Major Joints of the Lower Extremity: Hip joint"
- - "The Female Pelvis: Articulated bones of pelvis"
acetabulum in Czech: Acetabulum
acetabulum in German: Acetabulum
acetabulum in Spanish: Acetábulo
acetabulum in French: Acetabulum
acetabulum in Italian: Cotile
acetabulum in Dutch: Heupkom
acetabulum in Finnish: Lonkkamalja
acetabulum in Swedish: Höftledsgrop
acetabulum in Tagalog: Acetabulum
acetabulum in Ukrainian: Вертлюжна
западина