What does pelvic mean?
Pelvic is an adjective meaning relating to or located in the pelvis, the body’s lower bowl-shaped skeletal structure. It is used in anatomy, medicine, physiotherapy, and discussions of the muscles, organs, bones, and tissues of the lower trunk. Common expressions include pelvic floor, pelvic examination, and pelvic surgery. The adjective is most often placed directly before a noun, as in pelvic pain or pelvic organs, although it can also characterize a condition or area more generally. Pelvic should not be confused with pelvis, which is the noun for the structure itself, or with abdominal, which describes a larger region of the body. In clinical contexts, the word is technical but neutral and does not by itself indicate disease or abnormality. Understanding pelvic as an anatomical term is useful because it distinguishes structures and symptoms associated specifically with the pelvis from those involving the abdomen as a whole.
adjectiveRelating to or situated in the pelvis, the bowl-shaped structure of the skeleton that supports the lower trunk and connects the spine to the legs.
- Relating to, situated in, or concerning the pelvis.
"The scan showed inflammation in the pelvic tissues."
"Her doctor recommended physiotherapy to strengthen the pelvic floor."
"The lecture explained the role of the pelvic girdle in supporting the upper body."
The pelvis is the body’s architectural keystone—anchoring the legs, supporting the trunk, and forming the bony gateway of childbirth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pelvic come from?
Pelvic entered English in the early nineteenth century through the French adjective pelvique. That word came from the Latin pelvicus, meaning “of or relating to the pelvis,” and was formed from pelvis, the Latin noun for the basin-like part of the skeleton. The same Latin root underlies English words such as pelvis, pelve, pelvical, and pelvimetry.
Related word forms
How pelvic is actually used
The adjective is used chiefly in anatomy, medicine, physiotherapy, and related fields. Its usage is broadly the same in British and American English. It is more specific than abdominal and is not used as a general substitute for that broader term.
Easily confused with pelvic
Pelvic is an adjective describing something relating to the pelvis, while pelvis is the noun naming the anatomical structure itself.