sacro-

1. a combining form representing sacrum in compound words:

   sacroiliac.

Example Sentences

Rosi — whose previous award-winning films “Fire at Sea” and “Sacro GRA” depicted the plight of migrants and the diverse culture of modern Rome, respectively — here continues his fascination with people on the move, seeing life at its sweetest and sourest.

From Los Angeles Times

For the past three years Sarah has been receiving support and counselling through Sacro's Another Way project and now they have helped her to find a job working in a shop.

From BBC

Susie Waddington, gender based violence service manager at Sacro, told the BBC the project offered a combination of practical support - like interview skills - while also building women's trust and self-esteem.

From BBC

"The government's action has focused on minimising the risk of recession. From the latest available data, it seems to have been averted, so let's keep our fingers crossed," Giorgetti told the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.

From Reuters

Ms. Jaho was chosen to appear in the documentary “Fuoco Sacro,” now playing on the French-German television station Arte.

From New York Times

Words That Use sacro-

What does sacro- mean?

Sacro- is a combining form used like a prefix representing sacrum. The sacrum is a bone in the lower back made up of fused vertebrae and forming part of the pelvis. Sacro- is used in medical and scientific terms, especially in anatomy.

Sacro- ultimately comes from the Latin phrase os sacrum, meaning “holy bone.” Os means “bone” (see our Words That Use osteo- article) and sacrum means “holy.” The Latin word sacrum is related to the English word sacred as well as sacrament and sacrosanct. Why this bone was originally thought to be “holy” is much disputed.

What are variants of sacro-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, sacro- becomes sacr-, as in sacralgia.

Examples of sacro-

One term in anatomy that features the combining form sacro- is sacrococcygeal, meaning “of, relating to, or affecting the sacrum and coccyx.”

Sacrococcygeal is indeed an intimidating-looking word, but we can put our knowledge of root words to use and break it down. As we’ve seen, sacro- refers to the sacrum. The second part of the word, -coccygeal is from the adjective form of coccyx. The coccyx is a bone at the bottom of the spine below the sacrum, commonly known as the tailbone. So, sacrococcygeal concerns the sacrum and coccyx bones in the body.

What are some words that use the combining form sacro-?

• sacroanterior position
• sacroiliac
• sacrolumbar
• sacroposterior position
• sacrospinal
• sacrosciatic
• sacrovertebral

What are some other forms that sacro- may be commonly confused with?

• saccharo-
• sarco-

Break it down!

The sacrovertebral is an adjective concerning what two parts of the body?