View source for Acetabulum (cup)

{{about|the vessel|the unit of measure|Acetabulum (unit)}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2023}}
[[File:Roman Acetabula Museum August Kestner Hannover 1.jpg|Roman acetabulum in purple opaque glass with colorful ornaments, made during the 1st century. [[Museum August Kestner]] |thumbnail]]In [[classical antiquity|ancient]] dining, an '''acetabulum''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|ὀξίς}}, {{lang|grc|ὀξύβαφον}}, {{lang|grc|ὀξυβάφιον}}) was a [[vinegar]]-cup, which, from the fondness of the [[Ancient Greece|Greeks]] and [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] for vinegar, was placed on the table at meals to dip food before eating. The vessel was wide and open above; and the name was also given to all cups resembling it in size and form, to whatever use they might be applied. The cups used by [[juggler]]s in their performances were also called by this name. They were commonly of [[earthenware]], but sometimes of [[roman glass|glass]], [[silver]], [[bronze]], or [[gold]]. On account of its shape, Roman anatomists gave the name [[acetabulum]] to the place where the pelvis that meets the head of the femur, forming the hip joint.

==Etymology==

Acetabulum literally means "a small saucer for [[vinegar]]". It is derived from the [[Latin]] word ''acetum'', meaning "vinegar", and ''-bulum'', an instrumental [[suffix]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of ACETABULUM |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acetabulum |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{SmithDGRA|title=Acetabulum|url=http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0063%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DA%3Aentry+group%3D1%3Aentry%3Dacetabulum-cn}}

{{Ancient Greece topics}}

[[Category:Containers]]
[[Category:Vinegar]]