ovary
Americannoun
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ovaries
plural
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Anatomy, Zoology. the female gonad or reproductive gland, in which the ova and the hormones that regulate female secondary sex characteristics develop.
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Botany. the enlarged lower part of the pistil in angiospermous plants, enclosing the ovules or young seeds.
noun
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either of the two female reproductive organs, which produce ova and secrete oestrogen hormones
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the corresponding organ in vertebrate and invertebrate animals
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botany the hollow basal region of a carpel containing one or more ovules. In some plants the carpels are united to form a single compound ovary
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The reproductive organ in female animals that produces eggs and the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. In most vertebrate animals, the ovaries occur in pairs. In mammals, the ovaries contain numerous follicles, which house the developing eggs (oocytes).
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See more at menstrual cycle ovulation
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The part of a carpel or of a gynoecium made of fused carpels that contains the ovules in a flower. The ovary is located at the base of the carpel and ripens into a fruit after fertilization of one or more of the ovules.
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See more at flower
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ovary
First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin ōvārium; see ovum, -ary
Vocabulary lists containing ovary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Chanel Robinson achieved exactly what the gold rush of blockbuster weight-loss drugs promised: She lost nearly 100 pounds, lowered her cholesterol to normal levels and reined in her polycystic ovary syndrome.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
For years, experts say, the name “polycystic ovary syndrome” contributed to confusion in both clinical and public understanding.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
She also had an enlarged ovary and visible oviduct — an avian fallopian tube — suggesting she was getting ready for breeding, which typically happens in January or February.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2025
Because each ovary can grow into a grain, this finding could help boost the amount of wheat produced per acre.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2025
“Can you tell us the record for a single ovary, Mr. Foster?”
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Warm, dry spring weather improves a nest’s chance of survival as it ensures a good nectar supply for the queen to develop her ovaries and good prey populations for her to feed the brood.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026
The metabolic condition, which affects up to one in eight women, changes how the ovaries work and was linked to infertility and weight gain, the UK's NHS said.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Mumps can cause deafness and inflame the brain, pancreas, testicles, ovaries and breast tissue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Egg freezing involves stimulating the ovaries with hormone injections before mature eggs are surgically retrieved and preserved for possible future use through in vitro fertilization.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
The poor woman didn’t have ovaries or a uterus any more.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
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