English Explanatory Dictionary

abdomen

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The fat surrounding the belly.
  2. The belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis, not including the back; or in some lower vertebrates, the portion between the cardiac and caudal regions.
  3. The cavity of the belly, which is lined by the peritoneum, and contains the viscera; often restricted in humans to the part between the diaphragm and the commencement of the pelvis, the remainder being called the pelvic cavity.
  4. The posterior section of the body, behind the thorax, in insects, crustaceans, and other Arthropoda.

Pronunciation

/ˈæb.də.mən/ /æbˈdəʊ.mən/ /æbˈdoʊ.mən/ en-us-abdomen.ogg en-ca-abdomen.ogg

Word forms

abdomen abdomens abdomina

Etymology

First attested in 1541. Borrowed from Middle French abdomen, from Latin abdōmen, possibly from abdō (“conceal”), from ab (“away”) + -dō (“put, place”).

Synonyms

belly tummy stomach abdomen midriff tum tum-tum ventrum

Related words

abdominal abdominally abdominous

Derived words

acute abdomen boat-shaped abdomen carinate abdomen hemiabdomen navicular abdomen obstipum abdomen pendulous abdomen postabdomen preabdomen scaphoid abdomen surgical abdomen
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