Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

vagina

American  
[vuh-jahy-nuh] / vəˈdʒaɪ nə /

noun

plural

vaginas, vaginae

  1. Anatomy, Zoology.

    1. the passage leading from the uterus to the vulva in certain female mammals.

    2. a sheathlike part or organ.

  2. Botany. the sheath formed by the basal part of certain leaves where they embrace the stem.

vagina British  
/ vəˈdʒaɪnə /

noun

  1. the moist canal in most female mammals, including humans, that extends from the cervix of the uterus to an external opening between the labia minora

  2. anatomy biology any sheath or sheathlike structure, such as a leaf base that encloses a stem

"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
vagina Scientific  
/ və-jī′nə /

  1. The tube-shaped part of the reproductive tract in female mammals that is connected to the uterus at one end and opens to the outside of the body on the other end. The fully developed fetus passes through the vagina during birth.

vagina Cultural  

  1. A tubelike passageway in the female that connects the external genitals with the uterus.

Other Word Forms

  • vaginal adjective

Etymology

Origin of vagina

1675–85; < New Latin; Latin vāgīna sheath

Compare meaning

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

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.

The Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine protects against types of HPV that can cause cancers of the mouth, throat, vulva, vagina, penis and anus.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026

PIEZO2, in contrast, is located in sensory nerves in the cervix and vagina.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

Semenya was legally registered as female at birth and has said that although she was born without a uterus and with internal testicles, she has a vagina and is a woman.

From BBC • Aug. 31, 2025

In an interview with BBC Sport in 2023 Semenya said she was "born without a uterus" and born "with internal testicles" and said: "I am a woman and have a vagina".

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2025

The uterus or womb is also situated between the bladder and the rectum, but above the vagina.

From Fruits of Philosophy A Treatise on the Population Question by Knowlton, Charles

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.