bowel

noun bow·el \ ˈbau̇(-ə)l \

Updated on: 15 May 2018

Definition of bowel

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

play \ˈbau̇(-ə)l-ləs\ adjective

See bowel defined for English-language learners

See bowel defined for kids

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 of bowel from the Web

Although June does end up chained in the bowels of Gilead over her escape, that’s not where her story ends.

— refinery29.com, "A Handmaid's Tale Star Takes Us Inside That Cringeworthy Baby Shower," 9 May 2018
This isn't the first instance of a person who just couldn't seem to control their bowel movements — or at least didn't care to.

— josh magness, miamiherald, "Someone pooped 'daily' at school football field. It was this superintendent, NJ cops say | Miami Herald," 3 May 2018
Joseph inspected her baby’s next two bowel movements, but there was no sign of the battery.

— brittany wallman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Lauderhill offers $475,000 to parents who were told their son would 'poop out' battery he swallowed," 26 Apr. 2018
Patients may be given loperamide (Imodium) to reduce the likelihood of a bowel movement.

— kim campbell thornton, sacbee, "‘Re-poopulation’ could become a valuable tool in animal care | The Sacramento Bee," 25 Apr. 2018
But the notion that pregnancy is just this beautiful, carefree experience doesn’t take into account the vomiting, the gestational diabetes, hemorrhoids, bowel problems, incontinence or any of the common complications that follow pregnancy and birth.

— jennifer wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "Abortion Is Not Murder," 13 Apr. 2018
Naturally, there are deathbed statements to ponder, enigmatic codes to decipher and shocking secrets to unearth in the bowels of the Library of Congress, where all the most shocking secrets are kept (Shhhhh).

— ron charles, chicagotribune.com, "Jake Tapper's new thriller blows the lid off corruption in Washington," 24 Apr. 2018
Cook and Resner tracked Kobe Bryant through the bowels of Quicken Loans Arena when the Lakers visited Cleveland, one stop along the Mamba’s retirement tour, that winter.

— jake fischer, SI.com, "The Winding NBA Journey of the Warriors' Quinn Cook," 24 Apr. 2018
The next morning, on arriving at work, she was taken to a windowless room in the bowels of a psychiatric hospital in London.

— The Economist, "An alarming rise in mental-health sectioning in Britain," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bowel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bowel

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

BOWEL Defined for English Language Learners

bowel

noun

Definition of bowel for English Language Learners

: the long tube in the body that helps digest food and carries solid waste out of the body
the bowels : the deep inner parts of something

BOWEL Defined for Kids

bowel

noun bow·el \ ˈbau̇-əl \

Definition of bowel for Students

1 : intestine —usually used in pl.

2 : a part of the intestine

the large bowel

Medical Dictionary

bowel

noun bow·el \ ˈbau̇(-ə)l \

medical Definition of bowel

: 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

Learn More about bowel

See words that rhyme with bowel Spanish Central: Translation of bowel Nglish: Translation of bowel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of bowel for Arabic speakers

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bowel

Definition of bowel

bowelless

Examples of bowel in a Sentence

Recent Examples of bowel from the Web

Origin and Etymology of bowel

Other Anatomy Terms

Phrases Related to BOWEL

Related Phrases

BOWEL Defined for English Language Learners

bowel

Definition of bowel for English Language Learners

BOWEL Defined for Kids

bowel

Definition of bowel for Students

Medical Dictionary

bowel

medical Definition of bowel

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