The hip bone is represented by which bone?

• A. Ischium
• B. Pubis
• C. Femur
• D. Ilium

Answer: (D)

The hip bone, or os coxae, is formed by three fused bones: ilium, ischium, and pubis. Of these, the ilium makes up the largest portion and defines the broad, wing-like contribution you think of when you picture the hip region. That prominence is why the ilium is the bone most representative of the hip bone in anatomy and imaging. The socket for the femoral head, the acetabulum, is formed by parts of all three bones, but the ilium provides the majority of the hip bone’s mass. The ischium forms the lower posterior part and the pubis the anterior portion, while the femur is the thigh bone that articulates with the hip, not a component of the hip bone itself.