abdomen

[ ab-duh-muhn, ab-doh- ]

/ ˈæb də mən, æbˈdoʊ- /

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See synonyms for abdomen on Thesaurus.com

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.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of abdomen

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

OTHER WORDS FROM abdomen

post·ab·do·men, noun

Words nearby abdomen

Abdias, abdicant, abdicate, abdication, abdom., abdomen, abdominal, abdominal cavity, abdominal crunch, abdominal thrust, abdominoplasty

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use abdomen in a sentence

Others saw a hole in a toad’s abdomen with their teeth, shove their heads in and gorge on organs and tissues — while the amphibian is still alive.
This snake rips a hole in living toads’ stomachs to feast on their organs|Erin Garcia de Jesus|October 2, 2020|Science News
Hayward was drive-stunned twice in the abdomen and once in the thigh.
The Startling Reach and Disparate Impact of Cleveland Clinic’s Private Police Force|by David Armstrong|September 28, 2020|ProPublica
The other was in stable condition with an injury to the abdomen.
A woman killed. An officer shot. And no one legally responsible.|David Fahrenthold|September 24, 2020|Washington Post
Then there are the aptly-named bombardier beetles, which can discharge noxious and boiling hot chemicals from their abdomens when under attack.
This scientist thought he’d found the source of all sexual energy|PopSci Staff|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science

At the end of that chain, Hox genes turn on to specify the insect’s head, thorax and abdomen.
How Two Became One: Origins of a Mysterious Symbiosis Found|Viviane Callier|September 9, 2020|Quanta Magazine
But even I have my share of patients with chronic pain of some kind, be it in the abdomen or head or back.
DEA's Painkiller Crackdown Too Little, Too Late?|Russell Saunders|August 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The tight fit also restricts your abdomen, reducing your food intake during the day.
Waist Training: Can You Cinch Your Waist Thin?|DailyBurn|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sick sister was healed after relics from John XXIII were placed on the fistula on her abdomen.
Popes, Saints, Miracles, Weird Relics and Odd Omens Converge on Rome|Barbie Latza Nadeau|April 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two bullets lodged in his abdomen and he was taken to the hospital for surgery.
The Man Syria’s Jihadists Want Dead|Patrick Hilsman|January 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A WWII re-enactor is brought into the hospital when a homemade bazooka backfires and leaves an unexploded grenade in his abdomen.
11 Wacky, Moving, Memorable ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Moments (VIDEO)|Chancellor Agard|October 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The body is very convex:, having the thorax as wide as the abdomen, subquadrate, with very convex sides.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The head and thorax are of the colour of the wings, their sides and the conical abdomen being rather lighter.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The Semangs of Malacca are jet-black in color, with thick lips, flat nose, and protruding abdomen.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
Some slight injury in the abdomen, as from a blow or a kick, may precipitate an attack in predisposed individuals.
Essays In Pastoral Medicine|Austin Malley
I found him extremely unwell, with what I conceived to be a dropsy, for his abdomen was very much swollen.
The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume II (of 3)|Elliott Coues

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, adverb

Word 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)

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.

abdomen

Origin of abdomen

OTHER WORDS FROM abdomen

Words nearby abdomen

Words related to abdomen

How to use abdomen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for abdomen

Derived forms of abdomen

Word Origin for abdomen

Scientific definitions for abdomen

Other words from abdomen

Cultural definitions for abdomen