Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

occiput

/ˈɑk.səˌpʌt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.67 in modern English

Syllables: oc-ciput
IPA: /ˈɑk.səˌpʌt/

13

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The back part of the head or skull.

Example Sentences

"And then came Turbor, who sat quietly and unemotionally through the fifteen minute process, and Munn, who jerked at the first touch of the electrodes, and then spent the session rolling his eyes as though he wished he could turn them backwards and watch through a hole in his occiput."
"He wore a large white cotton Nubian shirt, trimmed with red pompons, and shaved his head, except for one lock at the occiput ‘by which Mohammed lifts you up on Judgement Day’."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin occiput (“the back part of the head”). Compare sinciput.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: occiput

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɑk.səˌpʌt/
British English: /ˈɒk.sɪ.pʌt/

Inflected Forms

occipita (plural) occiputs (plural)

Derived Forms

basiocciput occipital supraocciput

Phrases

occipito- occipit- occipital bone

Frequently Paired Words

occipital bone

Antonyms

sinciput

Questions

How do you pronounce occiput?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɑk.səˌpʌt/.
What does occiput mean?: The back part of the head or skull.
Where does occiput come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce occiput

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “occiput”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɑk.səˌpʌt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “occiput”.
Repeat and practice — Say “occiput” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.