piriformis

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UK/ˌpɪ.ɹɪˈfɔː.mɪs/US/ˌpɪɹ.əˈfɔɹ.mɪs/

noun

A gluteal muscle which arises from the front of the sacrum and the ischium or sacrotuberous ligament, passes out of the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen, and inserts into the greater trochanter of the femur, serving in humans to rotate the thigh laterally.

OriginNew Latin pirifōrmis →
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Meanings

nounpiriformis (plural piriformes)

plural piriformes · alternative pyriformis

  1. anatomyA gluteal muscle which arises from the front of the sacrum and the ischium or sacrotuberous ligament, passes out of the pelvis through the greater sciatic foramen, and inserts into the greater trochanter of the femur, serving in humans to rotate the thigh laterally.

Origin

  1. New Latinpirifōrmis
  2. Englishpiriformis

Unadapted borrowing from New Latin pirifōrmis, ellipsis of mūsculus pirifōrmis (“pear-shaped muscle”). Doublet of piriform.

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 梨狀肌 /梨状肌
  • 梨狀肌 /梨状肌 (lízhuàngjī)muscle that rotates the thigh laterally
Japanese 梨状筋
  • 梨状筋 (rijōkin)muscle that rotates the thigh laterally
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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