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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web As monoamniotic twins, their girls, Lynlee and Lydia, are identical or semi-identical twins who shared the same amniotic sac within their mother’s uterus. Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 24 Feb. 2023 But, for women who are still interested in having children, pregnancy is possible through in vitro fertilization, if the uterus is not removed. Zeina Mohammed — Boston Globe, STAT, 23 Feb. 2023 But, for women who are still interested in having children, pregnancy is possible through in vitro fertilization, if the uterus is not removed. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Feb. 2023 Babies with Potter syndrome often die before they are born when their umbilical cords become trapped between their bodies and the wall of their mother’s uterus. Frances Stead Sellers, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Feb. 2023 Prostaglandins, the compounds blocked by NSAIDs, may build up inside the blood vessels in the uterus, which could contribute to pain. Calli Mcmurray, STAT, 17 Feb. 2023 People who don’t have success with medication or less invasive treatment options may consider having part or all of their uterus removed. Amanda Macmillan, Health, 11 Feb. 2023 The animal this procedure would birth (from a surrogate African elephant’s uterus) would be similar to a woolly mammoth, though not exactly the same in looks or behavior. Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 6 Feb. 2023 Miscarried pregnancies that aren’t addressed in a timely manner can result in infection, massive bleeding, permanent damage to the fallopian tubes and uterus, and sometimes even death. Asima Ahmad, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2023 See More

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 30 Mar. 2023.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY