abdomen

[ab-duh-muhn, ab-doh-]

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology.

   1. the part of the body of a mammal between the thorax and the pelvis; belly.

   2. the cavity of this part of the body containing the stomach, intestines, etc.

   3. (in nonmammalian vertebrates) a region of the body corresponding to, but not coincident with, this part or cavity.

2. Entomology.,  the posterior section of the body of an arthropod, behind the thorax or the cephalothorax.

abdomen

/ æbˈdɒmɪnəl, æbˈdəʊ-, ˈæbdəmən /

noun

1. the region of the body of a vertebrate that contains the viscera other than the heart and lungs. In mammals it is separated from the thorax by the diaphragm

2. the front or surface of this region; belly

3. (in arthropods) the posterior part of the body behind the thorax, consisting of up to ten similar segments

abdomen

1. In vertebrates, the portion of the body between the thorax and pelvis, containing the stomach, intestines, liver, and other organs. In mammals, the abdomen is separated from the thorax by the diaphragm.

2. In arthropods, the last, most posterior segment of the body.

abdomen

1. The part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis that encloses the organs of the abdominal cavity; the belly.

Other Word Forms

• abdominally adverb
• abdominal adjective
• postabdomen noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of abdomen¹

1535–45; (< Middle French ) < Latin abdōmen belly

Word History and Origins

Origin of abdomen¹

C16: from Latin; origin obscure

Example Sentences

In this case, the woman was pregnant with triplets and two of the foetuses began to grow inside the abdomen of the baby.

From BBC

For many, it's a painful skin rash - usually on the chest or abdomen - on one side of the body.

From BBC

Heat cramps are painful muscle cramps and spasms that usually occur in the legs and abdomen followed by heavy sweating.

From Los Angeles Times

The 37-year-old had nipped away from her practice to get an issue checked out and her doctor found a potentially cancerous lump in her abdomen.

From BBC

She was rushed back to the Royal Sussex where they discovered the joint between the two intestines had torn, and "for 10 days it had been filling up my abdomen with bowel matter."

From BBC

Related Words

• belly 
• gut 
• midriff 
• midsection 
• tummy