abdomen
Americannoun
-
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.
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; belly
-
(in arthropods) the posterior part of the body behind the thorax, consisting of up to ten similar segments
-
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 Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of abdomen
1535–45; (< Middle French ) < Latin abdōmen belly
Explanation
Your abdomen is the middle part of the front of your body, between your chest area and your pelvis. If the doctor asks if your abdomen hurts, the doctor wants to know if you have any pain in your belly area. The word abdomen is also the name used for the cavity, enclosed by the abdominal muscles, that contains the organs in the abdominal area. The abdomen's contents in humans include your stomach, liver, spleen, small intestine, and kidneys. The word abdomen is sometimes shortened to abs, especially in infomercials and health clubs when referring to the muscles of your abdomen and how you should want flat ones.
Vocabulary lists containing abdomen
Gross, Anatomy!
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Counting by 7s
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Animals (Zoology) - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
To confirm that abdominal pressure was the key factor, the team applied gentle, controlled pressure to the abdomens of lightly anesthetized mice.
From Science Daily • May 1, 2026
When the world warms back up, the caterpillars spin a cocoon around themselves and transform into their adult form: Isabella tiger moths, which are pumpkin-orange with black spots lining the top of their abdomens.
From National Geographic • Nov. 29, 2023
The genus Mishina, Sato, and their colleagues specialize in, known as Chordodes, infect mantises and can grow to nearly 1 meter long inside the palm-size insects’ abdomens.
From Science Magazine • Oct. 19, 2023
Native bees tend to avoid honey bees, which don’t share flowers well, Hickman said, and have even been caught stealing pollen from the legs and abdomens of native bees.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2022
Their swollen abdomens seemed to glow with an evil, slow-murdering phosphorescence; their antennae drooped like wilted lettuce.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
