womb
Americannoun
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the uterus of the human female and certain higher mammals.
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the place in which anything is formed or produced.
the womb of time.
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the interior of anything.
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Obsolete. the belly.
noun
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the nontechnical name for uterus
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a hollow space enclosing something, esp when dark, warm, or sheltering
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a place where something is conceived
the Near East is the womb of western civilization
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obsolete the belly
Other Word Forms
- unwomb verb (used with object)
- wombed adjective
- womblike adjective
Etymology
Origin of womb
before 900; Middle English, Old English: belly, womb; cognate with Dutch wam, German Wamme, Gothic wamba belly; wamus
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 cramps around my womb and my belly were just horrible. Even the back pain, it's just hard standing up straight, let alone sprinting or running," she said.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
The NHS defines endometriosis as a "chronic, often painful condition" where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside of it, commonly on pelvic organs like ovaries and fallopian tubes.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
Ten became embryos, but the first nine attempts didn't survive the transfer into Anita's womb.
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
"Very few babies have been born in Europe as a result of their mothers receiving a womb from a deceased donor," she said.
From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026
Humans emerge from the womb like molten glass from a furnace.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
