pudendum
[ pyoo-den-duhm ]
See synonyms for: pudenda on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural pu·den·da [pyoo-den-duh]. /pyuˈdɛn də/.
Usually pudenda .Anatomy. the external genital organs, especially the vulva.
Origin of pudendum
1First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin, special use of neuter of Latin pudendus, gerundive of pudēre “to be ashamed”
usage note For pudendum
When pudendum first appeared in English in the 14th century, the term applied to all genitalia. But over time the term was used almost exclusively to mean the vulva. Some now find the term objectionable, as it is derived from the Latin verb “to be ashamed,” and therefore can project a negative image of human, and specifically female, sexuality. As a result, in 2019 it was announced that pudendum would be dropped from the next edition of the official international lexicon of anatomical terms Terminologia Anatomica. This likely means that use of the term, especially in scientific and medical contexts, will no longer be acceptable.
Words Nearby pudendum
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pudendum in a sentence
The girls who died most usually became mortified in the pudendum.
A History of Epidemics in Britain, Volume II (of 2) | Charles Creighton
British Dictionary definitions for pudendum
pudendum
/ (pjuːˈdɛndəm) /
nounplural -da (-də)
(often plural) the human external genital organs collectively, esp of a female
Origin of pudendum
1C17: from Late Latin, from Latin pudenda the shameful (parts), from pudēre to be ashamed
Derived forms of pudendum
- pudendal or pudic (ˈpjuːdɪk), adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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