— acetabular , adj.
/as'i tab"yeuh leuhm/ , n. , pl. acetabula /-leuh/ .
1. Anat. the socket in the hipbone that receives the head of the thighbone. See illus. under pelvis .
2. Zool. any of the suction appendages of a leech, octopus, etc.
[ 1660-70; acet ( um ) vinegar + -a- by analogy with v. derivs. (cf. VOCABLE) + -bulum suffix denoting instrument or vessel ]