ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈō-və-rē 

ˈōv-rē

plural ovaries

1

: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that produce eggs and in vertebrates female sex hormones

2

: the enlarged rounded usually basal portion of the pistil or gynoecium of an angiospermous plant that bears the ovules and consists of one or more carpels see flower illustration

Examples of ovary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Per the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body, often affecting the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Women also produce testosterone via the adrenal glands, as well as from the ovaries. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026

These things are key to the disease, which used to be called polycystic ovary syndrome but was renamed earlier this year to shift the focus away from ovaries and cysts. — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026

The two phantoms were designed to be adult females, since previous research found that breasts and ovaries are especially susceptible to radiation damage. — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ovarium, from Latin ovum egg

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ovary

• polycystic ovary syndrome

Kids Definition

ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈōv-(ə-)rē 

plural ovaries

1

: one of the usually paired organs in the body of female animals that produces eggs and that in female vertebrates also produces sex hormones

2

: the enlarged rounded lower part of the pistil of a flower in which seeds are formed

Medical Definition

ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈōv-(ə-)rē 

plural ovaries

1

: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that in vertebrates produce eggs and female sex hormones, that occur in the adult human as oval-shaped flattened bodies about one-and-a-half inches (four centimeters) long suspended from the dorsal surface of the broad ligament of either side, that arise from the mesonephros, and that consist of a vascular fibrous stroma enclosing developing egg cells

2

: the female reproductive structure of an angiosperm that bears ovules and is enclosed in a flower