Bækken

Bækken is a Danish noun with two principal meanings: the pelvis, the bony ring at the lower part of the trunk, and a brook or small stream in the landscape. In everyday Danish and Norwegian usage, the term for the anatomical structure is common in medical and educational contexts, while the landscape sense is widely used in describing the countryside.

In anatomy, bækken refers to the pelvis, including the pelvic bones and the surrounding opening that forms the base of the spine and supports abdominal organs. When speaking about the pelvis as a distinct body region, Danish often uses the definite form bækkenet to mean “the pelvis.”

In geography and everyday speech, bækken denotes a small stream or creek that flows through fields and valleys. Such watercourses are typically smaller than rivers, and bækken is a common feature in rural descriptions and in local place names.

Because the word covers two distinct senses, context is essential for interpretation. The same spelling is used in Danish and closely related Scandinavian languages, with meaning clarified by accompanying words and the subject of discussion.

Overall, bækken illustrates how a single term in Danish can bridge anatomy and landscape, reflecting different facets of the language’s everyday and technical vocabulary.