cervix

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cervīx (“neck”), see below.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɜː.vɪks/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɝ.vɪks/

Noun

cervix (plural cervixes or cervices)

1. (anatomy) The neck
2. The necklike portion of any part, as of the womb.
3. The lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cervīx, see below.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɛr.vɪks/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

cervix m (plural cervixen or cervices, diminutive cervixje n)

1. neck
2. The cervix between the uterus and the vagina.

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂- (“head”) and *weyk- (“to bend”), "where the head turns", whence cerebrum and vinciō.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈker.wiːks/, [ˈkɛr.wiːks]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃer.viks/

Noun

cervīx f (genitive cervīcis); third declension

1. (anatomy) The neck of a person or animal.
2. (by extension) The neck of an object (e.g. bottle).
3. (figuratively) Boldness, headstrong behavior.

References

• cervix in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• cervix in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• cervix in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• cervix in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to break a person's neck: cervices (in Cic. only in plur.) frangere alicui or alicuius
    
  • a sword hangs over his neck: gladius cervicibus impendet
    
  • the foe is at our heels, is upon us: hostis in cervicibus alicuius est
    
  • to shake off the yoke of slavery: iugum servile a cervicibus deicere (Phil. 1. 2. 6)