cremaster

[ kri-mas-ter ]

noun

1. Entomology. a usually hooklike process on the posterior tip of a chrysalis, for attaching the pupa to a stem, twig, etc.
2. Anatomy. the suspensory muscle of the testis.

Other Words From

• crem·as·te·ri·al [krem-, uh, -, steer, -ee-, uh, l], crem·as·ter·ic [krem-, uh, -, ster, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cremaster¹

1670–80; < Latin < Greek kremastḗr literally, suspender, akin to kremannýnai to hang

Example Sentences

Matthew Barney in a production still for his 1994 film “Cremaster 4.”

From New York Times

The slow, stylized pace and insular symbolism, together with the vivid film element and arcane eroticism, evokes Matthew Barney’s “Cremaster” cycle.

From New York Times

The “KICK” albums are inspired by expansive works like “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” the 19th century collection of German operas by Richard Wagner, and the “Cremaster” cycle, an aesthetic universe created by the contemporary artist Matthew Barney that includes feature-length films, sculptures, photographs and drawings.

From New York Times

German video-maker Roland Lauth’s pink-tinted piece suggests the influence of Matthew Barney, whose “Cremaster Cycle” spins through enigmatic metamorphoses.

From Washington Post

Matthew Barney | The Cremaster Cycle, 1994-2002 Named after a muscle in the penis, the Cremaster Cycle is a nine-hour carnival of gorgeous, grotesque moments, with everything from Houdini to Gary Gilmore, motorbikes to fairies connected by oblique, dream-like associations.

From The Guardian