penis

noun

pe·​nis ˈpē-nəs 

plural penises also penes ˈpē-(ˌ)nēz 

: a male erectile organ of copulation by which urine and semen are discharged from the body and that develops from the same embryonic mass of tissue as the clitoris

Word History

Etymology

Latin, penis, tail; akin to Old High German faselt penis, Greek peos

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing penis

• penis envy
• glans penis

Kids Definition

penis

noun

pe·​nis ˈpē-nəs 

plural penises also penes ˈpē-ˌnēz 

: a male organ of copulation containing a channel through which sperm leaves the body that in mammals including human beings also serves to discharge urine from the body

penile

-ˌnīl

adjective

Medical Definition

penis

noun

pe·​nis ˈpē-nəs 

plural penes ˈpē-(ˌ)nēz  or penises

: the male erectile copulatory organ of a higher vertebrate animal developing from the genital tubercle that in mammals including humans usually functions as the channel by which urine and semen are discharged from the body and is typically a cylindrical organ that is suspended from the pubic arch, contains a pair of large lateral corpora cavernosa and a smaller ventromedial corpus cavernosum containing the urethra, and has a terminal glans enclosing the ends of the corpora cavernosa, covered by mucous membrane, and sheathed by a foreskin continuous with the skin covering the body of the organ