placenta

noun

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pla·cen·ta | \ plə-ˈsen-tə

plural placentas or placentae\ plə-ˈsen-(ˌ)tē

Definition of placenta

1 : the vascular organ in mammals except monotremes and marsupials that unites the fetus to the maternal uterus and mediates its metabolic exchanges through a more or less intimate association of uterine mucosal with chorionic and usually allantoic tissues also : an analogous organ in another animal

2 : a sporangium-bearing surface especially : the part of the carpel bearing ovules

Examples of placenta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Pregnant women face a higher risk of severe illness from a coronavirus infection, and recent research has shown that the virus can attack and destroy the placenta, leading to stillbirth. — NBC News, 15 Feb. 2022 New research suggests the coronavirus can invade and destroy the placenta and lead to stillbirths in infected women. — Lindsey Tanner, ajc, 10 Feb. 2022 Additionally, pregnant people can pass the virus to a fetus via the placenta. — Maggie O'neill, SELF, 29 June 2022 The best way to protect Ms. Prudente from those potentially deadly complications would be for a doctor to remove the placenta and fetus from her uterus. — New York Times, 23 June 2022 They are pulled from the tissue that will eventually form the placenta and not the fetus itself. — Laura Hercher, Scientific American, 1 June 2022 All the women gave birth to healthy babies, and a sample of their placenta was collected for analysis within an hour of delivery. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 15 May 2021 And the one thing that every single person who has preeclampsia has in common is a placenta. — Katie Jennings, Forbes, 17 May 2022 Know that your placenta should not come out in multiple pieces. — Adriana Gallardo, ProPublica, 10 May 2022 See More

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

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Last Updated

11 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Placenta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/placenta. Accessed 19 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for placenta

placenta

noun

pla·cen·ta | \ plə-ˈsen-tə

Kids Definition of placenta

: the organ in most mammals by which the fetus is joined to the uterus of the mother and is nourished

placenta

noun

pla·cen·ta | \ plə-ˈsent-ə

plural placentas or placentae\ -ˈsent-(ˌ)ē

Medical Definition of placenta

: the vascular organ in mammals except monotremes and marsupials that unites the fetus to the maternal uterus and mediates its metabolic exchanges through a more or less intimate association of uterine mucosal with chorionic and usually allantoic tissues permitting exchange of material by diffusion between the maternal and fetal vascular systems but without direct contact between maternal and fetal blood and typically involving the interlocking of fingerlike vascular chorionic villi with corresponding modified areas of the uterine mucosa — see abruptio placentae