abdomen

noun

ab·​do·​men ˈab-də-mən 

-ˌdō-;

əb-ˈdō-mən,

ab- 

plural abdomens

1

a

: the part of the body between the thorax (see thorax sense 1) and the pelvis with the exception of the back

lesions on the chest and abdomen

… they do away with the need for a waistband, which can cut into your abdomen when you're leaning forwards …

—Liz Dodd

called also belly

b

: 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 (see thorax sense 2) 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

• stomach
• belly

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

Because the birds have yolk in their abdomens, they are equipped to survive for days, said Stephen Horst, owner of Fifth Day Farm, which is under the same ownership of the hatchery. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 24 May 2025

This cavity may have amplified sound from the vibrating structures in their abdomens, called tymbals, to produce a louder buzz. —Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 13 May 2025

Carpenters have yellow fuzz on their thorax, but their abdomens are shiny, black, and hairless. —Katie Akin, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2025

His post included a photo of his abdomen post-surgery, as well as an image of himself using a walker while being assisted by medical staff. —Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025

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 1a

Rhymes for abdomen

• cognomen
• bowman
• bowmen
• coman
• foeman
• foemen
• gnomon
• nomen
• omen
• roman
• showman
• showmen

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- 

plural abdomens also abdomina ab-ˈdäm-ən-ə 

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