Pelvis Means Basin
The pelvis is the ring of bone at the base of the spine. The Latin name compares it to a washing bowl.
The pelvis is the basin-shaped structure of bone connecting the spine to the legs. The Latin word means a basin or bowl, and anatomists chose it for the shape. Human pelvic anatomy is a compromise: it must be narrow enough for efficient upright walking and wide enough for childbirth, a tension with real consequences.
- The basin of bone at the hip. *A fractured pelvis.*
- Pelvic — of the pelvis. *The pelvic floor.*
- Renal pelvis — the funnel in the kidney. *The renal pelvis.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | pelvis | The bony pelvis. |
| Plural | pelvises | Two pelvises. |
| Plural | pelves | The Latin plural. |
| Adjective | pelvic | Pelvic bones. |
| Related | ilium | The iliac crest. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Pelvis means basin in Latin.From the shape.
- The pelvic floor supports the organs.A sheet of muscle.
- The renal pelvis collects urine.In the kidney.
Parts of the pelvis
- Ilium — the broad upper blades you feel at the hips
- Ischium — the bones you sit on
- Pubis — the front, meeting at the pubic symphysis
- Sacrum — fused vertebrae forming the back
- Pelvic floor — the muscular sheet across the base
From Latin *pelvis*, a basin or bowl. Anatomical Latin regularly borrowed household objects for body shapes.
Why is childbirth difficult in humans?
Because the pelvis is shaped for upright walking, which constrains its width, while human infants have relatively large heads.
What is the pelvic floor?
A sheet of muscle across the base of the pelvis supporting the bladder, bowel and, in women, the uterus.