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vulva

American  
[vuhl-vuh] / ˈvʌl və /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

vulvae, vulvas

  1. the external female genitalia.

vulva British  
/ ˈvʌlvə, ˈvʌlvɪˌfɔːm, ˈvʌlveɪt /

noun

  1. the external genitals of human females, including the labia, mons veneris, clitoris, and the vaginal orifice

"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
vulva Scientific  
/ vŭl′və /

plural

vulvas

  1. The external genitals of female mammals, including the labia and clitoris.

vulva Cultural  

  1. The external organs of the female reproductive system.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of vulva

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1540–50

Compare meaning

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Explanation

The vulva is the external parts of the vagina, and the vulva is important for both sex and birth. While many words have many meanings, vulva is not one of those words. The only thing this word refers to is the external (outside) parts of the vagina. This includes the labia, the opening of the urethra, and the clitoris, which is the female sexual organ. You can think of the vulva as the opening to the vagina, but it is also very important in itself.

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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.

In a 2018 study in the journal Sexual Medicine, Dr. Rubin, Dr. Goldstein and colleagues found that a failure to examine the vulva and clitoris led doctors to regularly overlook sexual health conditions.

From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2022

I am an 18-year-old person with a vulva, and I have no interest in having sex with other people, partly due to gender dysphoria.

From Slate • Jun. 14, 2021

"For some people, artificial scents and colors could cause irritation to the vulva; for others it may be a specific ingredient; and not all people will have a reaction."

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2021

The amount of hormones in the body which keep women fertile drops dramatically - and low levels of oestrogen, in particular, affect the vagina and vulva.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2019

Very hot urine with burning pain at the vulva.

From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Anshutz, Edward Pollock

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.