ilium
UK[ˈɪl.i.əm]US[ˈɪl.i.əm]
n
The large broad bone forming the upper part of each half of the pelvis.
Etymology
The word 'ilium' was adopted directly into English from Latin in the 16th century, where it referred to the flank or groin. The Latin term itself is believed to be a specialized anatomical borrowing from an older, possibly Etruscan source, with its ultimate origin obscure. In classical Latin, 'ilia' was the plural form meaning the soft parts of the abdomen, the flanks, or the loins. Over time, in scientific Latin and subsequently in English anatomical terminology, 'ilium' became specifically fixed to denote the uppermost and largest of the three bones that constitute the pelvic bone, distinguishing it from the nearby ischium and pubis.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable morphemes in its modern English form.
Examples
The surgeon carefully examined the fracture in the patient's ilium.
The crest of the ilium provides attachment for several important muscles of the abdomen and thigh.
In human anatomy, the ilium, ischium, and pubis fuse together in adulthood to form the hip bone.