Pelvi

Pelvi is a combining form used in anatomy and medical terminology to refer to the pelvis or the pelvic region. It derives from the Latin pelvis, the bony basin that forms part of the lower skeleton. In English medical terms, pelvi- functions as a prefix or linking form to create words describing structures, measurements, or conditions related to the pelvis.

Common examples include pelvimetry, the measurement of the maternal pelvis to assess the capacity for labor, and the pelvimeter, an instrument used for that purpose. Other terms such as pelvi-ureteric junction describe anatomical points where the renal pelvis meets the ureter. The adjective forms most often used in clinical language are pelvic or pelvical, with pelvi- appearing primarily in compound terms.

Pelvi- is typically used before vowels or in forms that join smoothly with suffixes, such as pelvi- in pelvimetry or pelvihyoid in extended nomenclature. The broader, more widely used adjective associated with this root is pelvic, which reflects the same anatomical region but follows a different morphological pattern.

In summary, pelvi is a formal linguistic element rather than a standalone term in common usage, serving to link words to the pelvis in specialized medical vocabulary. It should not be confused with unrelated terms that might appear similar in spelling in other fields.