labium

noun la·bi·um \ ˈlā-bē-əm \

|Updated on: 3 Jun 2018

Definition of labium

plural labia play \ˈlā-bē-ə\

1 : any of the folds at the margin of the vulva — compare labia majora, labia minora

2 : the lower lip of a labiate corolla

3 a : a lower mouthpart of an insect that is formed by the second pair of maxillae united in the middle line

b : a liplike part of various invertebrates

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Recent Examples of labium from the Web

The outer labia can also vary in terms of being barely there or a few inches long, and the inner labia (which are reminiscent of butterfly wings) might be hidden or hang past the outer lips.

— zoe ruderman, Cosmopolitan, "22 Vital Facts You Need to Know About Your Vagina," 19 June 2017
And, as many pointed out, there is nothing wrong with or unnatural about having dark labia.

— refinery29.com, "Huda Beauty's Guide To Vagina Lightening Sparks Major Controversy," 7 May 2018
Most women's labia aren't perfectly symmetrical — one side is usually bigger than the other.

— zoe ruderman, Cosmopolitan, "22 Vital Facts You Need to Know About Your Vagina," 19 June 2017
Now, doctors are warning anyone with a vagina to steer clear of a product that some are claiming reduces vaginal odor (or at least steer clear of applying it on their labia or in their vaginas).

— lily herman, Allure, "Women Say They're Using Vicks VapoRub in Their Vaginas," 1 Nov. 2017
The vulva, the video states using diagrams (and cute cats), includes the outer labia, inner labia, clitoris, urethral opening, and vaginal opening.

— lily herman, Allure, "Your Vulva Is Not Your Vagina — Here's the Difference," 5 Oct. 2017
And some people—most people—want their dicks on men and their labia on/vaginas in women.

— dan savage, Chicago Reader, "When the nice lady has a penis . . .," 20 Sep. 2017
Chances are a bump on your labia (the lips) or vulva (the skin around them) is just a pimple or an ingrown hair.

— amber madison, Seventeen, "6 Weird Things About Your Vagina That are Totally Normal," 30 May 2017
Sometimes my labia minora will swell a bit, but the only effect is aesthetic.

— sarit luban, Cosmopolitan, "5 Women Open Up About What Their Herpes Looks and Feels Like to Them," 22 May 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of labium

New Latin, from Latin, lip — more at lip

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1634

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

labium

noun la·bi·um \ ˈlā-bē-əm \

medical Definition of labium

plural labia play \-ə\

1 : any of the folds at the margin of the vulva — compare labia majora, labia minora

2 : a lower mouthpart of an insect that is formed by the second pair of maxillae united in the midline

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Britannica English: Translation of labium for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about labium

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labium

Definition of labium

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