fetal

American  

[feet-l] / ˈfit l /

especially British, foetal

adjective

Embryology.

1. of, relating to, or having the character of a fetus.

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fetal British  

/ ˈfiːtəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a fetus

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Other Word Forms

• postfetal
  adjective
• postfoetal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fetal

First recorded in 1735–45; fet(us) + -al ¹

Explanation

Something that's fetal relates to the developing offspring of an animal before it's born. Fetal growth can be measured using sonograms and other tools. A fetal animal is also called a fetus, and something humans have in common with all other animals is our beginning in a fetal form, before our birth. Fetal development describes the way a fetus grows and changes over time, and when someone's in a fetal position, they're curled forward with bent arms and legs — like a fetus in its mother's womb. Fetal stems from the Latin fetus, "the bearing of young," or "a bringing forth."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fetal

And it would not catastrophize fetal harm, which lands as shaming rather than a warning.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026

Instead, the researchers view digit ratio as a possible marker of hormonal exposure during early fetal development.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

They needed to wait until Waldorf went into labor on her own or showed signs of a dangerous infection, or until the fetal heartbeat ended.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

"I get into bed in the fetal position and my shoulder is absolutely killing me."

From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026

I sat curled in fetal position, hovered in the tiny space between the bathtub and toilet, exhausted from the intensity of the sickness.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad