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abdomen

noun
ab·​do·​men | \ ˈab-də-mən How to pronounce abdomen (audio) , -ˌdō-; əb-ˈdō-mən, ab-\

Definition of abdomen

1 : the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis also : the cavity of this part of the trunk containing the chief viscera
2 : the posterior section of the body behind the thorax in an arthropod — see insect illustration
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Other Words from abdomen

abdominal \ ab-​ˈdä-​mə-​nᵊl How to pronounce abdominal (audio) , əb-​ , -​ˈdäm-​nᵊl \ adjective
abdominally \ -​ē How to pronounce abdominally (audio) \ adverb

Synonyms for abdomen

Synonyms

belly, breadbasket [slang], gut, solar plexus, stomach, tummy

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Examples of abdomen in a Sentence

showed us a tiny tattoo on her abdomen, right next to her belly button

Recent Examples on the Web

 On Saturday, surgeons had quickly opened her abdomen, cleaned out feces and blood, and sent her, with a temporary patch over her open abdomen, to intensive care, heavily sedated and on a ventilator. — New York Times, "Surgeons Labored to Save the Wounded in El Paso Mass Shooting," 9 Aug. 2019 What about firing a dot at an insect abdomen in Centipede? — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "Video-Game Violence Is Now a Partisan Issue," 5 Aug. 2019 Tackle Sheldon Richardson didn’t practice due to an abdomen injury. — Dan Labbe, cleveland.com, "Browns training camp defensive report: Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams are a good match," 1 Aug. 2019 After biting down on their target to secure themselves, the insects swing their abdomens forward to get their stingers in place. — Sabine Galvis, Science | AAAS, "Slow-motion video reveals how ants deliver their painful venom," 2 Aug. 2019 One Illinois hospital raffled off tickets for a smart speaker to entice people to get their abdomens checked by a surgeon, while an Indiana hospital offered a chance to win dinner at a chophouse. — Mary Chris Jaklevic, chicagotribune.com, "Robotic surgical tool, not medical evidence, drives free hernia screenings," 31 July 2019 The victim later confronted the group on South Bishop Street and was stabbed in the lower part of this abdomen, police said. — Mary Grace Keller, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Apparent stabbing victim in Westminster flown to shock trauma, no arrests made," 29 July 2019 One Illinois hospital raffled off tickets for a smart speaker to entice people to get their abdomens checked by a surgeon, while an Indiana hospital offered a chance to win dinner at a chophouse. — NBC News, "Hospitals are offering free hernia screenings, but do patients need them?," 23 July 2019 Just before her young eat her, much of the female’s abdomen is liquified. — National Geographic, "Bats regurgitate nectar for their babies—a new discovery," 12 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abdomen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of abdomen

circa 1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for abdomen

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin abdōmen "fat underpart of an animal, belly, paunch," of uncertain origin

Note: Often seen as a derivative of abdere, "to hide, conceal," i.e., "that which is hidden," based on a nominal ablaut form *dhoh1- from the root *dheh1- "put." However, Latin abdōmen refers primarily to a body part of animals, and more or less humorously of humans; such usage suggests something prominent rather than something concealed, so the derivation looks somewhat unlikely.

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More Definitions for abdomen

abdomen

noun
How to pronounce abdomen (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of abdomen

: the part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach and other organs
: the rear part of an insect's body

See the full definition for abdomen in the English Language Learners Dictionary

abdomen

noun
ab·​do·​men | \ ˈab-də-mən How to pronounce abdomen (audio) , ab-ˈdō-\

Kids Definition of abdomen

1 : the part of the body between the chest and the hips including the cavity containing the stomach and other digestive organs
2 : the hind part of the body of an arthropod (as an insect)

abdomen

noun
ab·​do·​men | \ ˈab-də-mən, -ˌdō-; əb-ˈdō-mən, ab- How to pronounce abdomen (audio) \

Medical Definition of abdomen

1a : the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis with the exception of the back

— called also belly

b : the cavity of this part of the trunk lined by the peritoneum, enclosed by the body walls, the diaphragm, and the pelvic floor, and containing the visceral organs (as the stomach, intestines, and liver)
c : the portion of this cavity between the diaphragm and the brim of the pelvis — compare pelvic cavity
2 : the posterior often elongated region of the body behind the thorax in arthropods

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