fetal

American  

[feet-l] / ˈfit l /

especially British, foetal

adjective

Embryology.

1. of, relating to, or having the character of a fetus.

---

fetal British  

/ ˈfiːtəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a fetus

---

Other Word Forms

• postfetal
  adjective
• postfoetal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fetal

First recorded in 1735–45; fet(us) + -al ¹

Explanation

Something that's fetal relates to the developing offspring of an animal before it's born. Fetal growth can be measured using sonograms and other tools. A fetal animal is also called a fetus, and something humans have in common with all other animals is our beginning in a fetal form, before our birth. Fetal development describes the way a fetus grows and changes over time, and when someone's in a fetal position, they're curled forward with bent arms and legs — like a fetus in its mother's womb. Fetal stems from the Latin fetus, "the bearing of young," or "a bringing forth."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fetal

And it would not catastrophize fetal harm, which lands as shaming rather than a warning.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026

Instead, the researchers view digit ratio as a possible marker of hormonal exposure during early fetal development.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

The next, she was being rushed into emergency surgery, her daughter’s heart rate dropping precipitously on the fetal monitor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026

By the time the doctor had logged there was no fetal heartbeat, the medical record shows, Crain was too unstable for surgery.

From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2026

She curled into a fetal position and lay still, her thumb back in her mouth.

From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen