Definition of abdomen
1 : the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis; also : the cavity of this part of the trunk containing the chief viscera
2 : the posterior section of the body behind the thorax in an arthropod — see insect illustration
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Examples of abdomen in a Sentence
showed us a tiny tattoo on her abdomen, right next to her belly button
Origin and Etymology of abdomen
borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin abdōmen “fat underpart of an animal, belly, paunch,” of uncertain origin ◆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
Other Anatomy Terms
ABDOMEN Defined for English Language Learners
abdomen
playDefinition of abdomen for English Language Learners
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: the part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach and other organs
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: the rear part of an insect's body
ABDOMEN Defined for Kids
abdomen
playDefinition of abdomen for Students
1 : the part of the body between the chest and the hips including the cavity containing the stomach and other digestive organs
2 : the hind part of the body of an arthropod (as an insect)
Medical Dictionary
abdomen
playMedical Definition of abdomen
1a: the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis with the exception of the back—called also bellyb: the cavity of this part of the trunk lined by the peritoneum, enclosed by the body walls, the diaphragm, and the pelvic floor, and containing the visceral organs (as the stomach, intestines, and liver)c: the portion of this cavity between the diaphragm and the brim of the pelvis—compare pelvic cavity
2: the posterior often elongated region of the body behind the thorax in arthropods
Learn More about abdomen
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for abdomen Spanish Central: Translation of abdomen Nglish: Translation of abdomen for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of abdomen for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about abdomen
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