: an unborn or unhatched vertebrate especially after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind
specifically
: a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth compare embryo sense 1a
Examples of fetus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sometimes, stents are also used to drain extra fluid from the fetus' chest.
—
Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 7 Sep. 2023
NSAIDs taken during pregnancy can cause rare but serious kidney problems in fetuses and can lead to low levels of amniotic fluid, per Mayo Clinic.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2023
Believing that the data might indicate the existence of an edited human fetus, Regalado sent it to Fyodor Urnov, an expert on gene editing, for verification.
—Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2023
Jury selection has also been further complicated after the lead defendant made news last year for obtaining fetuses from the driver of a medical waste disposal truck in D.C. — an account the waste company denied — and storing them in a Capitol Hill rowhome.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2023
State District Court Judge Jessica Mangrum outlined these medical exemptions as a pregnancy that presents a risk of infection, requires regular and invasive treatment, or when a doctor determines that the fetus will not survive beyond birth.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 5 Aug. 2023
The label will warn that the drug could cause harm to a fetus and will advise women to use contraception while taking the pill and for a week afterward.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2023
The lawsuit had argued that the laws' vague wording made doctors unwilling to provide abortions despite the fetuses having no chance of survival.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2023
This last twist shifts the narrative from being solely a tale about the tragic failure of the man to own his part in the conception and destruction of their fetus.
—William Nash, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 7 Sep. 2023
NSAIDs taken during pregnancy can cause rare but serious kidney problems in fetuses and can lead to low levels of amniotic fluid, per Mayo Clinic.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2023
Believing that the data might indicate the existence of an edited human fetus, Regalado sent it to Fyodor Urnov, an expert on gene editing, for verification.
—Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2023
Jury selection has also been further complicated after the lead defendant made news last year for obtaining fetuses from the driver of a medical waste disposal truck in D.C. — an account the waste company denied — and storing them in a Capitol Hill rowhome.
—Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2023
State District Court Judge Jessica Mangrum outlined these medical exemptions as a pregnancy that presents a risk of infection, requires regular and invasive treatment, or when a doctor determines that the fetus will not survive beyond birth.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 5 Aug. 2023
The label will warn that the drug could cause harm to a fetus and will advise women to use contraception while taking the pill and for a week afterward.
—Pam Belluck, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2023
The lawsuit had argued that the laws' vague wording made doctors unwilling to provide abortions despite the fetuses having no chance of survival.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2023
This last twist shifts the narrative from being solely a tale about the tragic failure of the man to own his part in the conception and destruction of their fetus.
—William Nash, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fetus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near fetus
Cite this Entry
“Fetus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetus. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
fetus
noun
fe·tus
ˈfēt-əs 
plural fetuses
: a young animal while in the body of its mother or in the egg especially in the later stages of development
especially
: a developing human being in the uterus from usually two months after pregnancy occurs to birth compare embryo sense 1
Medical Definition
fetus
noun
fe·tus
variants
or chiefly British foetus
plural fetuses or chiefly British foetuses or foeti
ˈfēt-ˌī
: an unborn or unhatched vertebrate especially after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind
specifically
: a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth compare embryo
More from Merriam-Webster on fetus
Nglish: Translation of fetus for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of fetus for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fetus
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