Acetabulum
/ˌæsɪˈtæbjʊləm/noun
The cup-shaped socket in the pelvis that receives the head of the femur; also a small vinegar cup in ancient Rome.
Did you know?The Roman acetabulum was literally a little vinegar vessel, and that everyday object became the anatomical term for the hip socket because of its cup-like shape.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂eyg-
“Sour, sharp, or acidic”
Latin
Latin
acetum
“Vinegar”
Latin
Latin
acetabulum
“A small vinegar cup; a vinegar cruet”
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
acetabulum
“The cup-shaped socket of the hip”
Modern English
English
acetabulum
“The socket of the hip bone that receives the head of the femur”