bowel

noun

bow·​el ˈbau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce bowel (audio)
1
biology : intestine, gut
also : one of the divisions of the intestines
usually used in plural except in medical use
the large bowel
move your bowels
2
archaic : the seat of pity, tenderness, or courage
usually used in plural
3
bowels plural : the interior parts
especially : the deep or remote parts
bowels of the earth
bowelless adjective

Examples of bowel in a Sentence

a disease of the bowel They dug deep into the bowels of the earth. The engine room is down in the bowels of the ship.
Recent Examples on the Web In between wins, the 41-year-old jockey almost died earlier this year due to a blocked bowel. Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2023 An autopsy revealed Elvis’ only child died following complications from an obstruction in her bowel. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2023 Walton was in his first production in January but had a small bowel perforation and had to have another surgery. Olga Delauz, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2023 Lisa Marie died suddenly from a small bowel obstruction on Jan. 12 at the age of 54. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023 Even practicing on my own was hard because many poses—inversions, compressions, and twists—stimulated my bowels. Condé Nast, SELF, 25 Sep. 2023 Those cheap but indispensable pieces of plastic were bumping along some conveyor belt in the airport’s bowels. Mark Naida, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2023 Compared to people taking bupropion-naltrexone, people taking a GLP-1 drug had a higher risk of pancreatitis, bowel obstruction and gastroparesis, the study found. Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 5 Oct. 2023 Most people can safely take laxatives if needed, but Cash said that people with chronic medical conditions (especially a history of bowel obstructions), chronic kidney disease, electrolyte abnormalities, as well as pregnant people should always ask their provider before taking a laxative. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bowel.' 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

Middle English, from Anglo-French buel, boel, from Medieval Latin botellus, from Latin, diminutive of botulus sausage

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bowel was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bowel

Cite this Entry

“Bowel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowel. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bowel

noun
bow·​el ˈbau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce bowel (audio)
1
a
: intestine entry 2, gut
usually used in plural
b
: a division of the intestine
2
plural : the interior parts
the bowels of the earth
3
archaic : supply of mercy or courage
usually used in plural

Medical Definition

bowel

noun
bow·​el ˈbau̇(-ə)l How to pronounce bowel (audio)
: intestine, gut
also : one of the divisions of the intestines
usually used in plural except in medical use
move your bowels
surgery of the involved bowel

More from Merriam-Webster on bowel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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