abdomen

American  

[ab-duh-muhn, ab-doh-] / ˈæb də mən, æbˈdoʊ- /

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology.

   1. the part of the body of a mammal between the thorax and the pelvis; belly.

   2. the cavity of this part of the body containing the stomach, intestines, etc.

   3. (in nonmammalian vertebrates) a region of the body corresponding to, but not coincident with, this part or cavity.

2. Entomology. the posterior section of the body of an arthropod, behind the thorax or the cephalothorax.

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abdomen British  

/ æbˈdɒmɪnəl, æbˈdəʊ-, ˈæbdəmən /

noun

1. the region of the body of a vertebrate that contains the viscera other than the heart and lungs. In mammals it is separated from the thorax by the diaphragm

2. the front or surface of this region; belly

3. (in arthropods) the posterior part of the body behind the thorax, consisting of up to ten similar segments

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abdomen Scientific  

/ ăb′də-mən /

1. In vertebrates, the portion of the body between the thorax and pelvis, containing the stomach, intestines, liver, and other organs. In mammals, the abdomen is separated from the thorax by the diaphragm.

2. In arthropods, the last, most posterior segment of the body.

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abdomen Cultural  

1. The part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis that encloses the organs of the abdominal cavity; the belly.

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Other Word Forms

• abdominal
  adjective
• abdominally
  adverb
• postabdomen
  noun

Etymology

Origin of abdomen

1535–45; (< Middle French ) < Latin abdōmen belly

Explanation

Your abdomen is the middle part of the front of your body, between your chest area and your pelvis. If the doctor asks if your abdomen hurts, the doctor wants to know if you have any pain in your belly area. The word abdomen is also the name used for the cavity, enclosed by the abdominal muscles, that contains the organs in the abdominal area. The abdomen's contents in humans include your stomach, liver, spleen, small intestine, and kidneys. The word abdomen is sometimes shortened to abs, especially in infomercials and health clubs when referring to the muscles of your abdomen and how you should want flat ones.

Example Sentences

It builds up deep inside the abdomen and surrounds internal organs, and it has been strongly linked to serious conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

From Science Daily • May 7, 2026

He felt a pain in his abdomen, so visited a doctor, with tests confirming he had cholangiocarcinoma.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

"He had a lot of edema, his face was very swollen, there was edema on his limbs, and a globular abdomen, like a balloon."

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

McDaniel explains she’s feeling for energy before moving on to the abdomen, where she applies various levels of pressure.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Above him, in the dimness, a nine-foot-long queen bee, with multiple eyes and golden fuzz on her abdomen, curls across the ceiling.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• belly
• gut
• midriff
• midsection
• tummy