noun
coccyx
KOK-sihks
noun
1
The small, triangular bone at the very bottom of the spine, formed from fused vertebrae; the tailbone.
"She fractured her coccyx after slipping on the ice."
How to Use Coccyx
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe tailbone, at the bottom of the spine.
Common pairings
a bruised coccyx
coccyx pain
Word Forms
coccyges plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “coccyx”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She fractured her _____ after slipping on the ice.
Etymology
From Greek kokkyx, "cuckoo" — an ancient anatomist thought the bone's curve resembled a cuckoo's beak.