coccige
/ˈkɔt.t͡ʃi.d͡ʒe/
The Italian word for the English phrase 'coccyx' is coccige.
coccige is an anatomical term used to refer to the final fused vertebrae.
Meaning: (anatomy) final fused vertebrae (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
coccige is a masculine noun. When used with the definite article for 'the coccyx', it is preceded by the masculine singular article il, forming il coccige.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈkɔt.tʃi.dʒe/.
Did you know?
- The Italian coccige shares its roots with the Greek word for a 'cuckoo' bird, because the shape of the bone resembles a cuckoo's beak.
- While coccige is the medical term, Italians may colloquially refer to the general area as la coda, meaning 'the tail'.
- In Italian medical literature, the coccige is often discussed in relation to sacro, the sacred bone, creating a linguistic pairing of the 'sacred' and the 'bird-beak'.
Examples in context
- Mi fa male il coccigeMy coccyx hurts
- L'area attorno alle ossa coccigee è molto delicataThe area around the coccygeal bones is very delicate
- Il dolore al coccige è molto intenso.The pain in the coccyx is very intense.
- Ha subito un trauma al coccige.He suffered a trauma to the coccyx.
- Il medico ha controllato il mio coccige.The doctor checked my coccyx.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are talking about Lorenzo's recent injury.
- LorenzoSento un forte dolore al coccige.I feel a strong pain in my coccyx.
- GiuliaTi sei fatto male cadendo?Did you hurt yourself falling?
- LorenzoSì, è successo ieri sul ghiaccio.Yes, it happened yesterday on the ice.
- GiuliaDevi andare subito dal medico.You must go to the doctor immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coccyx” translations and entries coccige, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coccige, CC BY-SA 4.0.
