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Glite Dictionary
coccygeal plexus

coccygeal plexus

9.9
A small group of nerves near the tailbone that send feeling to the skin there
  • noun
  • /kɒkˈsɪdʒiəl ˈplɛksəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : plexo coccígeo
  • Injuries near the tailbone may sometimes affect the coccygeal plexus and cause pain.

Examples

  • The coccygeal plexus is important for innervation of the area around the coccyx.

  • Surgeons must avoid damaging the coccygeal plexus during certain lower back procedures.

  • The coccygeal plexus is essential for pelvic nerve function.

  • Can you explain the role of the coccygeal plexus?

  • Injuries near the tailbone may sometimes affect the coccygeal plexus and cause pain.

  • Surgeons must avoid damaging the coccygeal plexus during certain lower back procedures.

  • The coccygeal plexus is important for innervation of the area around the coccyx.

Synonyms

plexus coccygeus
vscoccygeal plexus
  • Specialized
9.9

A small group of nerves near the tailbone that sends messages to the lower back and pelvic area

describes the same nerves without stating their position near the coccyx

Surface Forms

coccygeal plexus singular
coccygeal plexuses plural

Morphology

coccygeal + plexus

The term simply combines 'coccygeal' (relating to the coccyx/tailbone) with 'plexus' (a network of nerves), so its meaning — a nerve network at the tailbone — follows directly from the constituents. Although anatomical and somewhat technical, the semantic composition is transparent, so a learner who knows both words can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Coccygeal plexus comes from two older words: coccyx, from a Greek word for 'cuckoo' because the tailbone looks like a bird's beak, and plexus, meaning a 'braid' or 'net'. So the name gives a picture of a small 'braid' or 'net' of nerves by the 'tailbone', which is why it refers to a small network of nerves near the coccyx.