peritoneal

American  

[per-i-tuhn-ee-uhl] / ˌpɛr ɪ tənˈi əl /

adjective

Anatomy.

1. relating to, by means of, or enclosed by the peritoneum, the membrane lining the abdominal cavity.

   Perforation of the ulcer may occur, with escape of stomach contents into the peritoneal cavity.

   In peritoneal dialysis, the lining of the abdominal cavity acts like the external filter to cleanse the blood.

---

Other Word Forms

• peritoneally
  adverb
• preperitoneal
  adjective
• subperitoneal
  adjective
• transperitoneal
  adjective
• transperitoneally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of peritoneal

peritone(um) ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Doctors determined she was suffering from kidney failure and needed ongoing treatment including chemotherapy and peritoneal dialysis.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

Amrit undergoes nine hours of peritoneal dialysis each night, a method of blood purification used when kidneys fail.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2025

As a BRCA1 previvor, my risk for breast, ovarian, pancreatic, peritoneal, fallopian tube and endometrial cancer is higher than normal.

From Salon • Oct. 17, 2024

Furthermore, rbNPs successfully suppressed the growth of tumors in mice having aggressive adenocarcinoma in their peritoneal cavity, without any adverse effects.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2024

They are very thin-walled membranes, very poor in blood-vessels, formed by the bulged-out pleural or peritoneal covering of the lungs, through the parabronchial tubes of which they are filled with air.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 7 "Bible" to "Bisectrix" by Various