Etymology

coccyx

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Today it means: The final (bottom-most) fused vertebrae at the base of the spine, the tailbone. Full definition →

Latin coccyx ← Ancient Greek κόκκῡξ (kókkūx) ← Proto-Hellenic *kókkūks
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The story

  1. Proto-Hellenic*kókkūks
  2. Ancient Greekκόκκῡξ (kókkūx)
  3. Latincoccyx
  4. English todaycoccyx

Borrowed from Latin coccyx, borrowed from Ancient Greek κόκκῡξ (kókkūx), referring to the curved shape of a cuckoo's beak when viewed from the side.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.