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plural coccyges
ˈkäk-sə-ˌjēz
also coccyxes
ˈkäk-sik-səz
: a small bone that articulates with the sacrum and that usually consists of four fused vertebrae which form the terminus of the spinal column in humans and tailless apes
Examples of coccyx in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Excess weight can affect any area of the back, including the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and mid-back), lumbar spine (lower back), and the sacrum and coccyx (posterior pelvic wall and tailbone).
—Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 1 Aug. 2024
Its contoured shape is designed to evenly distribute pressure and help relieve coccyx and tailbone pain.
—Good Housekeeping, 9 Aug. 2023
The remnant that remains is the tailbone, also called the coccyx.
—Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2023
Like the ComfiLife, this mat’s high-density polyurethane foam core provides excellent support, and its manufacturer advertises that the mat can help reduce fatigue and spinal and coccyx compression while promoting active standing.
—Chuong Nguyen, Ars Technica, 9 Mar. 2023
Your vertebrae are divided into sections: your cervical spine (hi, neck bones), your thoracic spine (the upper part of your back), your lumbar spine (lower back), your sacrum (this joins with your pelvis), and your coccyx (a funny way to say tailbone).
—Demetria Wambia, SELF, 17 Feb. 2022
By birth, the tail has disappeared and the vertebrae fused to form the coccyx or tailbone.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2022
These include such otherwise inexplicable ones as the pelvis and leg bones of whales and snakes, the wings of flightless birds, and the human coccyx (tailbone).
—David P. Barash, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2020
The suspension is about as stiff as SUV suspensions get, and although the ride is compliant over most surfaces, hitting a dip will send a coccyx-rattling shudder forward from the rear axle.
—John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 29 Sep. 2020
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Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Greek kokkyx cuckoo, coccyx; from its resemblance to a cuckoo's beak
First Known Use
1615, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near coccyx
Cite this Entry
“Coccyx.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coccyx. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
coccyx
noun
coc·cyx
ˈkäk-siks
plural coccyges
ˈkäk-sə-ˌjēz
also coccyxes
ˈkäk-sik-səz
: the bone at the end of the spinal column that is composed of four vertebrae combined into one bone
Medical Definition
coccyx
noun
coc·cyx
ˈkäk-siks
plural coccyges
ˈkäk-sə-ˌjēz
also coccyxes
ˈkäk-sik-səz
: a small bone that articulates with the sacrum and that usually consists of four fused vertebrae which form the terminus of the spinal column
More from Merriam-Webster on coccyx
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coccyx
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