pessary
Americannoun
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pessaries
plural
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a device worn in the vagina to support a displaced uterus.
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a vaginal suppository.
noun
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a device for inserting into the vagina, either as a support for the uterus or ( diaphragm pessary ) to deliver a drug, such as a contraceptive
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a medicated vaginal suppository
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pessary
1350–1400; Middle English pessarie < Late Latin pessārium a suppository, equivalent to Latin pess ( um ), pess ( us ) (< Greek pessós oval stone used in a game) + -ārium -ary
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.
See Examples For:
A third of all deliveries were induced, meaning labour was started using artificial methods such as a hormone drip or a pessary.
From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2024
A nonsurgical treatment that’s often recommended is the use of a pessary, a small device, usually made of silicone, that’s placed in the vagina to support the pelvic organs.
From US News ● Jul. 27, 2016
Some, like this bronze Roman pessary dated between 200 B.C. and 400 C.E., were used to support the uterus.
From National Geographic ● Feb. 19, 2016
“The surgery was like a miracle” said Potts, whose uterine prolapse had worsened over eight years and was not alleviated by a pessary.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 22, 2015
The pessary should, of course, never be worn during the menstrual period.
From Safe Marriage A Return to Sanity by William Arbuthnot Lane
It is administered using gels, creams, pessaries, tablets or sprays.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2024
Pelvic floor exercises and lifestyle changes can help to improve symptoms, but sometimes medical treatment is needed such as vaginal pessaries or surgery.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2024
The same hormone causes contractions in childbirth and is in the pessaries given to induce labour.
From The Guardian ● May 23, 2019
Although stem pessaries could prevent pregnancy, they were usually uncomfortable, and often caused infections.
From National Geographic ● Feb. 19, 2016
Or use pessaries to provoke the birth; take galbanum dissolved in vinegar, an ounce; myrrh, two drachms, with oil of oat make a pessary.
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