ilium

I1L1I1U1M3
UK/ˈɪlɪəm//ˈɪli.əm/

noun

The upper and widest of the three bones that make up each side of the hipbone.

“Holonyms: hip bone, os coxae < pelvis”

OriginLatin īlium →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

ilium1

nounilium (plural ilia)

plural ilia · alternative ilion

  1. anatomyThe upper and widest of the three bones that make up each side of the hipbone.

    Holonyms: hip bone, os coxae < pelvis

  2. obsoleteanatomyThe ileum, part of the small intestine (in modern usage, misspelling of ileum).

Ilium2

proper noun
  1. Troy.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
troy

Origin

ilium · noun

  1. Latinīlium“lower abdomen”
  2. Englishilium

Borrowed from Latin īlium (“lower abdomen”), from īle (“flank”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Ilium · proper noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wólnus“meadow, pasture”
  2. Hittite𒌑𒂊𒂖𒇻𒍑“pasture, meadow”
  3. Ancient GreekἼ̄λιον
  4. LatinĪlium
  5. EnglishIlium

Borrowed from Latin Īlium, from Ancient Greek Ἴ̄λιον (Í̄lion). Metrical evidence from the Iliad and the Odyssey suggests that the name Ἴλιον (Ílion) formerly began with a digamma: Ϝίλιον (Wílion). Compare Hittite 𒃾𒇻𒊭 (Wi-lu-ša, “Wilusa”), usually identified with Troy, and Hittite 𒌑𒂊𒂖𒇻𒍑 (wellu-š, “pasture, meadow”), from Proto-Indo-European *wólnus (“meadow, pasture”). Cognate with English wold. By surface analysis, Ili- + -um.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek, Hittite

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Ἴλιον, Ἴλιος
  • Ἴλιον (Ílion)Troy — see also Troy
  • Ἴλιος (Ílios)Troy — see also Troy
Basque Ilion
  • IlionTroy — see also Troy
Bulgarian Илио́н
  • Илио́н (Ilión)Troy — see also Troy
Catalan ili, os ilíac
  • ilibone
  • os ilíacbone
Chinese Mandarin 髂骨, 腸骨 /肠骨
  • 髂骨 (qiàgǔ)bone
  • 腸骨 /肠骨 (chánggǔ)bone
Danish Illion
  • IllionTroy — see also Troy
Dutch darmbeen
  • darmbeenbone
Finnish suoliluu
  • suoliluubone
German Ilion
  • IlionTroy — see also Troy
Greek Ίλιον
  • Ίλιον (Ílion)Troy — see also Troy
Hungarian csípőcsont
  • csípőcsontbone
Icelandic mjaðmarspaði, Ilíon
  • mjaðmarspaðibone
  • IlíonTroy — see also Troy
  • IlíumTroy — see also Troy
Italian osso iliaco, Ilio
  • osso iliacobone
  • IlioTroy — see also Troy
Japanese 腸骨, イリオス
  • 腸骨 (chōkotsu)bone
  • イリオス (Iriosu)Troy — see also Troy
Korean 일리룸
  • 일리룸 (illirum)Troy — see also Troy
Latin Ilium, Illion
  • IliumTroy — see also Troy
  • IllionTroy — see also Troy
Polish kość biodrowa, Ilion
  • kość biodrowabone
  • IlionTroy — see also Troy
Portuguese ílio, ilíaco
  • íliobone
  • ilíacobone
Russian подвздошная кость, Илион
  • подвздошная кость (podvzdošnaja kostʹ)bone
  • Илион (Ilion)Troy — see also Troy
Spanish ilion, ilión
  • ilionbone
  • iliónbone
  • iliobone
  • IliónTroy — see also Troy
Swedish tarmben
  • tarmbenbone
Tagalog buto ng balakang
  • buto ng balakangbone
Ukrainian Іліон
  • Іліон (Ilion)Troy — see also Troy

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ilium

Williamileumciliumkinociliummiliumpileumreptiliumsubiliumsuperciliumsuprailium
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

ilium. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ilium

MLA

“ilium.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ilium. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ilium,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ilium.

Source: ilium on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.