bowel

American  

[bou-uhl, boul] / ˈbaʊ əl, baʊl /

noun

1. Anatomy.

   1. Usually bowels. the intestine.

   2. a part of the intestine.

2. bowels,

   1. the inward or interior parts.

      the bowels of the earth.

   2. Archaic. feelings of pity or compassion.

---

verb (used with object)

boweled, boweling, bowelled, bowelling

1. to disembowel.

bowel British  

/ ˈbaʊəl /

noun

1. an intestine, esp the large intestine in man

2. (plural) innards; entrails

3. (plural) the deep or innermost part (esp in the phrase the bowels of the earth )

4. archaic (plural) the emotions, esp of pity or sympathy

---

bowel Scientific  

/ bou′əl /

1. The intestine.

---

Other Word Forms

• bowelless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of bowel

1250–1300; Middle English b ( o ) uel < Old French < Latin botellus little sausage ( bot ( ulus ) sausage + -ellus -elle )

Example Sentences

Bowel or anal incontinence - when you cannot control when you poo - affects 20% of women and is most commonly caused by a birth injury, according to the British Journal of General Practice.

From BBC • May 13, 2026

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with about 44,000 new cases each year.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is a major health concern.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

Bowel Cancer UK recommends keeping a diary of your symptoms which you can discuss with your GP.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

Bowel affections are not an infrequent attendant upon hooping-cough, and always aggravate the primary disorder.

From The Maternal Management of Children, in Health and Disease by Bull, Thomas

Related Words

• decimate
• empty
• eviscerate
• loot
• ransack
• ravage