uterus

American  

[yoo-ter-uhs] / ˈyu tər əs /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

plural

uteri, uteruses

1. the enlarged, muscular, expandable portion of the oviduct in which the fertilized ovum implants and develops or rests during prenatal development; the womb of certain mammals.

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uterus British  

/ ˈjuːtərəs /

noun

1. Nontechnical name: womb.  anatomy a hollow muscular organ lying within the pelvic cavity of female mammals. It houses the developing fetus and by contractions aids in its expulsion at parturition

2. the corresponding organ in other animals

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uterus Scientific  

/ yo̅o̅′tər-əs /

plural

uteri

1. The hollow, muscular organ of female mammals in which the embryo develops. In most mammals the uterus is divided into two saclike parts, whereas in primates it is a single structure. It lies between the bladder and rectum and is attached to the vagina and the fallopian tubes. During the menstrual cycle (estrus), the lining of the uterus (endometrium) undergoes changes that permit the implantation of a fertilized egg.

2. Also called womb

3. See more at menstrual cycle

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uterus Cultural  

1. A pear-shaped organ in the female reproductive system where the embryo or fetus develops until birth. The strong muscles of the uterus help push the baby out of the mother's body.

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Etymology

Origin of uterus

1605–15; < Latin: the womb, matrix; akin to Greek hystéra womb, Sanskrit udara belly

Compare meaning

How does uterus compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cervix vs. uterus

Example Sentences

Uterus didelphys is a rare congenital condition that develops before birth, when the two tubes that normally form a single uterus fail to fuse properly.

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2025

Unphased by the experimental nature of the surgery, Jovanovich decided to try her luck, and applied to Penn Medicine's Uterus Donation program which began in 2017.

From Salon • Nov. 27, 2021

She wrote more, expanding her repertoire to non-fiction books on motherhood and feminism; titles include Letters To My Uterus and Who Are The Rapists?

From The Guardian • Jun. 24, 2017

He must be pretty happy about Mark Uterus going down in flames.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2014

Exercise for Replacing Uterus to be Taken Just Before Retiring:—Kneel on the bed; bend forward until the chest is touching the bed and the hips are elevated as high as possible.

From Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why What Medical Writers Say by Allen, Martha Meir