ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈō-və-rē How to pronounce ovary (audio)
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 The procedure involves extracting eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a lab. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Despite these challenges, the discovery that her ovaries were unaffected led Houston and her husband to explore the IVF process. Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 Nunez de Avelar had surgery in March 2023 after imaging showed a mass near her left ovary, the lawsuit said. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 25 Jan. 2024 The key player for successful conception is ovulation, which happens when a mature egg has been released from an ovary. Holly Eagleson, Parents, 30 Nov. 2023 But in patients who have gone through menopause, their ovaries are no longer making much estrogen, so peripheral tissues are the predominant source of the hormone.11 Like SERMs, AIs target estrogen—but AIs work in the peripheral tissue, Tkaczuk said. Laura Hensley, Verywell Health, 29 Nov. 2023 So, as ovaries become less capable of making estrogen, FSH levels go up. Fiorella Valdesolo, Allure, 1 Dec. 2023 By releasing artificial versions of naturally occurring hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives tell the body to skip the step of the menstrual cycle when the ovaries release an egg. Kayla Bartsch, National Review, 28 Jan. 2024 My cancer is really driven by estrogen, and the ovaries produce a lot of it. Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ovary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ovarium, from Latin ovum egg

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ovary was in 1658

Dictionary Entries Near ovary

Cite this Entry

“Ovary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovary. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ovary

noun
ova·​ry ˈōv-(ə-)rē How to pronounce ovary (audio)
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 How to pronounce ovary (audio)
plural ovaries
1
: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that produce eggs and in vertebrates female sex hormones, that occur in the adult human as oval 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

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