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abdomen
[ ab-duh-muhn, ab-doh- ]
/ ˈæb də mən, æbˈdoʊ- /
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noun
Anatomy, Zoology.
- the part of the body of a mammal between the thorax and the pelvis; belly.
- the cavity of this part of the body containing the stomach, intestines, etc.
- (in nonmammalian vertebrates) a region of the body corresponding to, but not coincident with, this part or cavity.
Entomology. the posterior section of the body of an arthropod, behind the thorax or the cephalothorax.
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Origin of abdomen
1535–45; (<Middle French ) <Latin abdōmen belly
OTHER WORDS FROM abdomen
post·ab·do·men, nounWords nearby abdomen
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use abdomen in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for abdomen
abdomen
/ (ˈæbdəmən, æbˈdəʊ-) /
noun
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
the front or surface of this region; bellyRelated adjective: coeliac
(in arthropods) the posterior part of the body behind the thorax, consisting of up to ten similar segments
Derived forms of abdomen
abdominal (æbˈdɒmɪnəl), adjectiveabdominally, adverbWord Origin for abdomen
C16: from Latin; origin obscure
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for abdomen
abdomen
[ ăb′də-mən ]
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.
In arthropods, the last, most posterior segment of the body.
Other words from abdomen
abdominal adjective (ăb-dŏm′ə-nəl)The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for abdomen
abdomen
[ (ab-duh-muhn, ab-doh-muhn) ]
The part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis that encloses the organs of the abdominal cavity; the belly.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.