in utero

adverb or adjective

: in the uterus : before birth
a disease acquired in utero
an in utero diagnosis

Examples of in utero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Doctors took the tiny newborn into surgery just seven hours after his birth and discovered that a third of Ryan's small intestine had died in utero and needed to be removed. Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026 Denied children in life, a kuntilanak steals them, those in utero and those already born. Literary Hub, 5 May 2026 During pregnancy, this bacteria can pass from a mother with untreated syphilis, known as maternal syphilis, to her child in utero, causing the fetus to contract congenital syphilis. Casey Pinto, The Conversation, 1 May 2026 Thanatophoric dysplasia typically develops spontaneously in utero; it is not usually inherited. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for in utero

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in utero was in 1713

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In utero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20utero. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Medical Definition

in utero

adverb or adjective
: in the uterus : before birth
a disease acquired in utero
an in utero diagnosis

Legal Definition

in utero

adverb or adjective
: in the uterus : before birth
an injury suffered in utero
that her condition could possibly be linked to in utero exposureBurgess v. Eli Lilly & Co., 995 F.2d 646 (1993)
Etymology

Latin

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster