fetus

[ fee-tuhs ]

noun

, Embryology.

, plural fe·tus·es.

1. (used chiefly of viviparous mammals) the young of an animal in the womb or egg, especially in the later stages of development when the body structures are in the recognizable form of its kind, in humans after the end of the second month of gestation.

fetus

/ ˈfiːtəs /

noun

1. the embryo of a mammal in the later stages of development, when it shows all the main recognizable features of the mature animal, esp a human embryo from the end of the second month of pregnancy until birth Compare embryo

fetus

/ fē′təs /

1. The unborn offspring of a mammal at the later stages of its development, especially a human from eight weeks after fertilization to its birth. In a fetus, all major body organs are present.

fetus

1. The embryo of an animal that bears its young alive (rather than laying eggs ). In humans, the embryo is called a fetus after all major body structures have formed; this stage is reached about sixty days after fertilization .

Word History and Origins

Origin of fetus¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fētus “bringing forth of young,” hence “that which is born, offspring, young still in the womb,” equivalent to fē- (verb base attested in Latin only in noun derivatives, as fēmina “woman,” fēcundus “fertile,” fīlius “son,” fīlia “daughter,” etc.; compare Greek thēsthai “to suck, milk,” Old High German tāan “to suck,” Old Irish denid “(he) sucks,” Slavic (Polish) doić “to milk” + -tus suffix of verb action; fecund

Word History and Origins

Origin of fetus¹

C14: from Latin: offspring, brood

Example Sentences

Pregnancy comes with a slew of check-ups and screenings to monitor both the health of the fetus and maternal complications such as gestational diabetes.

From Science Magazine

The study found that PM2.5 exposure can influence the histone profiles of pregnant women, disrupting the normal balance of cytokine genes and leading to increased inflammation in both women and fetuses.

From Science Daily

Folate is an essential nutrient that can help prevent birth defects in the brain and spine of a developing fetus.

From Science Daily

The scan detected a “sac-like structure” but no fetus or cardiac activity.

From Salon

Dr. Cheer and others doing research on THC exposure during pregnancy are racing to learn more about the health consequences on developing fetuses to help doctors better counsel their patients on the drug's effects.

From Science Daily