perineum
Americannoun
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perinea
plural
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the area in front of the anus extending to the fourchette of the vulva in the female and to the scrotum in the male.
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the diamond-shaped area corresponding to the outlet of the pelvis, containing the anus and vulva or the roots of the penis.
noun
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the region of the body between the anus and the genital organs, including some of the underlying structures
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the nearly diamond-shaped surface of the human trunk between the thighs
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perinea
plural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of perineum
First recorded in 1625–35; from New Latin, from Greek períneon, períneos, perínaios, apparently equivalent to per(i)- peri- + ine-, ina-, stems of ineîn, inân to “evacuate, empty” + -(i)os, -(i)on noun suffix
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:
"There's a lot of healing that happens. It takes about six weeks for the uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size. Any tears in the vagina or perineum are also healing."
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2025
Unlike the rectum, the perineum can be easily disinfected, and also has another major advantage: It can provide a clearer pathway to the anterior prostate, a region that is harder to reach with transrectal biopsies.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2021
In 2006, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified use of talc powder in the perineum area - the pelvic region between the legs - as “possibly carcinogenic.”
From Reuters ● Dec. 3, 2019
The answer is not much, although there is some evidence that warm compresses on the perineum during the pushing stage of labor can prevent very severe tears.
From Slate ● Apr. 22, 2019
The edge of the perineum should now be closely watched.
From Mother's Remedies Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of the United States and Canada by Thomas Jefferson Ritter
People in spin classes don't have to steer their bikes anywhere, so why are they still sitting on their perinea?
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 28, 2011
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