in utero

adverb or adjective

: in the uterus : before birth
a disease acquired in utero
an in utero diagnosis

Examples of in utero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web However, the hospital denied the allegations, stating that the unfortunate infant death occurred in utero before delivery. Melissa Noel, Essence, 19 Mar. 2024 Other states recognize unborn children as people, but those have been limited to fetuses in utero, or inside a woman’s body. Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024 Images of embryos of different ages reveal how the sharks develop in utero. Gareth J. Fraser, Discover Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Even if Jenny lived long enough, cystic fibrosis often causes fertility issues—in many women, thickened cervical mucus is thought to prevent pregnancy, and in almost all men, sperm ducts never develop because of blockages that occur in utero. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024 The audience is treated (subjected?) to more shots of a baby in utero than might be entirely comfortable, all in service to a subplot involving the sister who will presumably be joining Paul in the next chapter. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 But few studies have rigorously asked that question for in utero application of such therapies. Megan Molteni, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024 Events leading up to the Alabama Supreme Court decision can be traced to 2006, when the criminal statute for homicide in the state was changed to include in utero. Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 Loop, a nurse, was especially worried about her son because he was born prematurely and suffered a stroke while in utero. Liz Szabo, NBC News, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in utero.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in utero was in 1713

Dictionary Entries Near in utero

Cite this Entry

“In utero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20utero. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

in utero

adverb or adjective
: in the uterus : before birth
a disease acquired in utero
an in utero diagnosis

Legal Definition

in utero

adverb or adjective
: in the uterus : before birth
an injury suffered in utero
that her condition could possibly be linked to in utero exposureBurgess v. Eli Lilly & Co., 995 F.2d 646 (1993)
Etymology

Latin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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