abdomen

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

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology.

   1. the part of the body of a mammal between the thorax and the pelvis; belly.

   2. the cavity of this part of the body containing the stomach, intestines, etc.

   3. (in nonmammalian vertebrates) a region of the body corresponding to, but not coincident with, this part or cavity.

2. Entomology.,  the posterior section of the body of an arthropod, behind the thorax or the cephalothorax.

abdomen

/ æbˈdɒmɪnəl, æbˈdəʊ-, ˈæbdəmən /

noun

1. 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

2. the front or surface of this region; belly

3. (in arthropods) the posterior part of the body behind the thorax, consisting of up to ten similar segments

abdomen

1. 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.

2. In arthropods, the last, most posterior segment of the body.

abdomen

1. The part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis that encloses the organs of the abdominal cavity; the belly.

Other Word Forms

• postabdomen noun
• abdominally adverb
• abdominal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of abdomen¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of abdomen¹

C16: from Latin; origin obscure

Example Sentences

They identified whether the pain occurred in the head, face, neck/shoulder, back, stomach/abdomen, hip, knee or across the entire body.

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Jets cornerback Kris Boyd remains in critical but stable condition after being shot in the abdomen early Sunday morning in Manhattan.

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New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd remains in critical but stable condition a day after being shot in the abdomen in midtown Manhattan.

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New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd was in a critical but stable condition after being shot in the abdomen on Sunday, US media reported.

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Kris Boyd, a cornerback for American football team the New York Jets, was shot in the abdomen early Sunday, according to US media.

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Related Words

• belly 
• gut 
• midriff 
• midsection 
• tummy