fetal

adjective

fe·​tal ˈfē-tᵊl How to pronounce fetal (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a fetus

Examples of fetal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Doctors noticed the fatal fetal anomaly in November of 2024. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026 When the researchers compared siblings, the link between fetal Tylenol exposure and both ADHD and autism disappeared. Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 10 Mar. 2026 Still, the high rates of infant and fetal mortality, preterm and low-weight births haven’t budged much since spiking and then plateauing a decade ago. Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026 Maternal-fetal medicine physicians review ultrasound images remotely. Michelle Nall, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fetal

Word History

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fetal was in 1736

Cite this Entry

“Fetal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetal. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

fetal

adjective
fe·​tal ˈfēt-ᵊl How to pronounce fetal (audio)
: of, relating to, or being a fetus

Medical Definition

fetal

adjective
fe·​tal
variants or chiefly British foetal
: of, relating to, or being a fetus

More from Merriam-Webster on fetal

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