uterus

noun

uter·​us ˈyü-tə-rəs 

ˈyü-trəs

plural uteri ˈyü-tə-ˌrī  or uteruses

1

: a muscular organ of the female mammal for containing and usually for nourishing the young during development prior to birth

called also womb

2

: a structure in some lower animals analogous to the uterus in which eggs or young develop

Examples of uterus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mifepristone stops a pregnancy from continuing, and misoprostol is used to induce cramping and bleeding in order to empty the uterus. —Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 19 May 2025

These effects are largely attributed to endorphins, which appear to soften contractions of the uterus that lead to period pain.10 These benefits are best achieved with orgasm, in part because the same muscles used for orgasm also cause period cramps. —Md Published, Verywell Health, 15 May 2025

Endometriosis, a condition that often involves serious pain and heavy periods due to uterine tissue growing outside the uterus, affects 10% of women worldwide. —Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 8 May 2025

Uterine polyps Polyps are soft, fleshy growths usually found on the inside lining of the uterus (called the endometrium) and on or around the cervix. —Ashley Abramson, SELF, 7 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, belly, womb; probably akin to Greek hoderos belly, Sanskrit udara

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

uterus

noun

uter·​us ˈyüt-ə-rəs 

plural uteruses or uteri -ˌrī 

: the muscular organ of a female mammal in which the young develop before birth

called also womb

Medical Definition

uterus

noun

uter·​us ˈyüt-ə-rəs 

plural uteri -ˌrī  also uteruses

: an organ in female mammals for containing and usually for nourishing the young during development prior to birth that consists of a greatly modified and enlarged section of an oviduct (as in rodents and marsupials) or of the two oviducts united (as in the higher primates including humans), that has thick walls consisting of an outer serous layer, a very thick middle layer of smooth muscle, and an inner mucous layer containing numerous glands, and that during pregnancy undergoes great increase in size and change in the condition of its walls

called also womb

see cervix sense 2a, corpus uteri, endometrium, fundus sense c, myometrium, perimetrium