acetabulum
noun
ac·e·tab·u·lum
ˌa-sə-ˈta-byə-ləm 
plural acetabulums or acetabula
ˌa-sə-ˈta-byə-lə
1
: a ventral sucker of a trematode
2
: the cup-shaped socket in the hip bone
Examples of acetabulum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The orthopedic surgeon performed a nine hour surgery on the actress, replacing her acetabulum with titanium.
—
Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
The hip is a ball-in-socket joint where the head of the femur (upper leg bone) sits in the acetabulum, a socket in the pelvic bone.
—Milo F. Bryant, Men's Health, 8 Nov. 2022
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Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
The hip is a ball-in-socket joint where the head of the femur (upper leg bone) sits in the acetabulum, a socket in the pelvic bone.
—Milo F. Bryant, Men's Health, 8 Nov. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Acetabulum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acetabulum. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
acetabulum
noun
ac·e·tab·u·lum
-ˈtab-yə-ləm
plural acetabulums or acetabula
-lə
1
: the cup-shaped socket in the hip bone
2
: a sucker of an invertebrate (as a trematode or leech)
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