The coccyx, or tailbone, is a small triangular bone at the very bottom of the spine, consisting of 3-5 fused vertebral segments. It serves as an attachment point for various pelvic floor muscles and ligaments that support the pelvic organs. Though vestigial in humans, representing our evolutionary past when our ancestors had tails, it still plays a role in weight-bearing when sitting.
The term "coccyx" comes from the Greek word "kokkyx," meaning "cuckoo," as ancient physicians thought the bone resembled a cuckoo's beak in shape. This name was first applied by the Greek physician Herophilus around 300 BCE.
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