abdomen

noun

ab·​do·​men ˈab-də-mən 

-ˌdō-;

əb-ˈdō-mən,

ab- 

plural abdomens

1

: the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis

… well-defined reddish lesions that can appear anywhere on the body but most often on the thighs and abdomen …

—Susan Logan-McCracken

also : the cavity of the abdomen that is lined by peritoneum, is bounded above by the diaphragm, anteriorly by a wall of muscle and tissue, and posteriorly by the spinal column, is continuous below with the pelvic cavity, and contains many of the visceral organs and especially those involved in digestion (such as the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and intestines) : abdominal cavity

Removal of the gallbladder—a pear-shaped sac in the right side of your abdomen—has little adverse effect on digestion.

—The Mayo Clinic Health Letter

2

: the posterior section of the body behind the thorax in an arthropod

On a nearby table was a … dish of ants that looked familiar except that they had been feeding on peach nectar and the abdomen of each was a large, swollen, translucent sac.

—The New Yorker

see insect illustration

Synonyms

• belly
• breadbasket [slang]
• gut
• solar plexus
• stomach
• tummy

Examples of abdomen in a Sentence

showed us a tiny tattoo on her abdomen, right next to her belly button

Recent Examples on the Web

Medical device makers Johnson & Johnson’s third-quarter sales for devices used in abdomen surgeries was hit by a slowdown in demand for weight-loss and other procedures, as many obese patients turned to Wegovy and Ozempic. —Reuters, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2023

This bee’s head and wings were metal, and its abdomen glass. —Noah Lederman, Popular Science, 2 Nov. 2023

Many are found by the road unconscious and driven 12 hours to the hospital with wounds in their heads, chests, and abdomens that require urgent surgeries. —Ben Hubbard, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2023

Clinging to their comb, some of the giant honeybees flick their abdomens, and others follow. —Victoria Sayo Turner, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Sep. 2023

During an open fetal surgery, the mother’s abdomen is opened up and the fetus is partially removed so that the defect can be repaired, according to the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. —Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 7 Sep. 2023

For premiere in Los Angeles earlier this month, Waller-Bridge opted for a sleek suit featuring an abdomen cut-out by Alexander McQueen. —André-Naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 26 June 2023

Mattia, 58, was shot once in the back as well as in his abdomen, shoulder, buttock, forearm, elbow and both thighs, the report found. —The Arizona Republic, 23 June 2023

The teen died June 1 after he was shot once in the abdomen area by officer Roch Gruszeczka, authorities said. —Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 16 June 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin abdōmen "fat underpart of an animal, belly, paunch," of uncertain origin

Note: Often seen as a derivative of abdere, "to hide, conceal," i.e., "that which is hidden," based on a nominal ablaut form *dhoh₁- from the root *dheh₁- "put." However, Latin abdōmen refers primarily to a body part of animals, and more or less humorously of humans; such usage suggests something prominent rather than something concealed, so the derivation looks somewhat unlikely.

First Known Use

circa 1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

abdomen

noun

ab·​do·​men ˈab-də-mən 

ab-ˈdō-mən

1

a

: the part of the body between the chest and the hips

b

: the body cavity containing the chief digestive organs

called also abdominal cavity

2

: the hind portion of the body behind the thorax in an arthropod see insect illustration

abdominal

ab-ˈdäm-ən-ᵊl 

-nᵊl

adjective

abdominally

-ē 

adverb

Medical Definition

abdomen

noun

ab·​do·​men ˈab-də-mən, -ˌdō-; əb-ˈdō-mən, ab- 

1

a

: the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis with the exception of the back

called also belly

b

: the cavity of the abdomen that is lined by the peritoneum, is bounded above by the diaphragm, anteriorly by a wall of muscle and tissue, and posteriorly by the spinal column, is continuous below with the pelvic cavity, and contains many of the visceral organs and especially those involved in digestion (such as the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and intestines) : abdominal cavity

2

: the posterior often elongated region of the body behind the thorax in arthropods