Kim from Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada, is studying anatomy and wonders why the lower end of one’s sternum is called the xiphoid process. The word process in this case means projection, and xiphoid comes from the Greek word for sword. Early...
Susan, a dental student in Redlands, California, asks about acetabulum, the anatomical term for the hip socket. It goes back to the Latin acetabulum, a vinegar cup, the small table vessel Romans used for dipping bread. Its cup shape made a natural...
swamp ass n. the condition of having sweaty buttocks, crotch, or gluteal cleft. Editorial Note: Similar but rare terms include swass, chef’s arse, and drummer’s butt. Thanks to Nate Schiavo for suggesting this term as an entry. (source: Double...
winker n. the anus; the posterior or buttocks. Editorial Note: A similar term is brown eye. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
fourth point of contact n. especially among Airborne personnel, a euphemistic term for the rump, buttocks, or anus; by extension, one’s body, person or self. Etymological Note: The information in the 2002 citation probably refers to the correct...