vulva
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonvulvaladjective
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nonvulvaradjective
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vulvaladjective
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vulvaradjective
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vulvateadjective
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vulviformadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of vulva
Borrowed into English from Latin around 1540–50
Compare meaning
How does vulva compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
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.
During a two-day mission the team can perform up to 80 colposcopies - where they examine the cervix and vulva for signs of cancerous or pre-cancerous tissue.
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025
The vulva hypothesis is one of the myriad theories that have proliferated around Stonehenge, which was constructed some 4,500 years ago.
From New York Times • Feb. 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
Dr. Megan Evans, MD, Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Tufts Medical Center, said the ingredients that are often used in bath bombs can cause "irritation and inflammation to the vulva."
From Salon • Mar. 20, 2021
Millard cites one case in the course of which gangrene occurred, and another in which skin, mouth, pharynx, respiratory passages, oesophagus, and vulva were affected at the same time.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
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.
