The socket of the hip joint is called the

The socket of the hip joint is called the

• A. Acetabulum
• B. Foramen
• C. Condyle
• D. Fossa

Answer: (A)

The socket of the hip joint is the acetabulum. It’s the cup-shaped hollow on the lateral side of the pelvis, formed by the fused ilium, ischium, and pubis, that receives the head of the femur to form a ball-and-socket joint. Inside the acetabulum sits the articular lunate surface that directly contacts the femoral head, while the central non-articular part is the acetabular fossa. Other terms describe different bone features: a foramen is an opening for vessels or nerves, a condyle is a rounded end that articulates with another bone, and a fossa is a shallow depression.

The socket of the hip joint is the acetabulum. It’s the cup-shaped hollow on the lateral side of the pelvis, formed by the fused ilium, ischium, and pubis, that receives the head of the femur to form a ball-and-socket joint. Inside the acetabulum sits the articular lunate surface that directly contacts the femoral head, while the central non-articular part is the acetabular fossa. Other terms describe different bone features: a foramen is an opening for vessels or nerves, a condyle is a rounded end that articulates with another bone, and a fossa is a shallow depression.