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ful·crum

(flkrəm, fŭl-)

n. pl. ful·crums or ful·cra (-krə)

1. The point or support on which a lever pivots.

2. Zoology An anatomical structure that acts as a hinge or a point of support.

3. An agent through which vital powers are exercised.

[Latin, bedpost, from fulcīre, to support.]

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fulcrum

relative position of the fulcrum in three basic types of levers, with arrows indicating the direction of the effort and the downward force of the load

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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