ovary
Americannoun
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Anatomy, Zoology. the female gonad or reproductive gland, in which the ova and the hormones that regulate female secondary sex characteristics develop.
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Botany. the enlarged lower part of the pistil in angiospermous plants, enclosing the ovules or young seeds.
noun
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either of the two female reproductive organs, which produce ova and secrete oestrogen hormones
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the corresponding organ in vertebrate and invertebrate animals
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botany the hollow basal region of a carpel containing one or more ovules. In some plants the carpels are united to form a single compound ovary
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The reproductive organ in female animals that produces eggs and the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. In most vertebrate animals, the ovaries occur in pairs. In mammals, the ovaries contain numerous follicles, which house the developing eggs (oocytes).
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See more at menstrual cycle ovulation
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The part of a carpel or of a gynoecium made of fused carpels that contains the ovules in a flower. The ovary is located at the base of the carpel and ripens into a fruit after fertilization of one or more of the ovules.
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See more at flower
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ovary
First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin ōvārium; see ovum, -ary
Vocabulary lists containing ovary
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.
Chanel Robinson achieved exactly what the gold rush of blockbuster weight-loss drugs promised: She lost nearly 100 pounds, lowered her cholesterol to normal levels and reined in her polycystic ovary syndrome.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
For years, experts say, the name “polycystic ovary syndrome” contributed to confusion in both clinical and public understanding.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
She also had an enlarged ovary and visible oviduct — an avian fallopian tube — suggesting she was getting ready for breeding, which typically happens in January or February.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025
Because each ovary can grow into a grain, this finding could help boost the amount of wheat produced per acre.
From Science Daily • Oct. 19, 2025
The doctor said they would have to cut out her ovary right away.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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.
