uterus

noun

uter·​us ˈyü-tə-rəs How to pronounce uterus (audio)
ˈyü-trəs
plural uteri ˈyü-tə-ˌrī How to pronounce uterus (audio) 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 Protecting nonviable in vitro embryos raises questions about contraception that prevents implantation – like some IUDs, the devices placed inside a uterus to prevent pregnancy. Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024 To get more technical about what Irwin was going through: Endometriosis occurs when the lining that normally grows inside the uterus grows outside of it. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Mar. 2024 The drugs shrank some of the masses, but the primary tumor in my uterus kept growing. Amy Ettinger, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 In other words, the court found that frozen embryos created through IVF, which exist outside of the uterus, are considered human beings in Alabama. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024 During the treatment, an egg is removed from a woman’s body and fertilized with sperm inside a laboratory before being implanted into a woman’s uterus in hopes of leading to pregnancy. Isabel Rosales, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 Houston's journey to motherhood took a turn following the 35-year-old's cervical cancer diagnosis, which required a hysterectomy, removal of her uterus and cervix and other tissues, seemingly crushing her hopes of having a third child. Janet Shamlian, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 Goldman, whose daughter was conceived through IVF after a uterus transplant, hopes to become pregnant with a second child. Kim Chandler, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 House Democrats proposed legislation stating that a human embryo outside a uterus cannot be considered an unborn child or human being under state law. Kim Chandler, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uterus.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of uterus was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near uterus

Cite this Entry

“Uterus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uterus. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

uterus

noun
uter·​us ˈyüt-ə-rəs How to pronounce uterus (audio)
plural uteruses or uteri -ˌrī How to pronounce uterus (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce uterus (audio)
plural uteri -ˌrī How to pronounce uterus (audio) 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

More from Merriam-Webster on uterus

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