fetal
IPA/ˈfiːtl/
KK[fˈitəl]IPA/ˈfiːtl/
fetal — adjective
- fetalpositive
- more fetalcomparative
- most fetalsuperlative
1. relating to a baby or animal that has not yet been born
1.adjectiveB2
Definition
relating to a baby or animal that has not yet been born
Example
Doctors used an ultrasound to check the fetal heartbeat at twelve weeks.
attributive use: fetal + body-part noun
A mother's diet during pregnancy can affect fetal growth and development.
collocation: fetal growth / fetal development
When Nora felt scared, she curled into a tight fetal position on her bed.
idiomatic phrase: fetal position
The study tracked fetal movement patterns in the final three months of pregnancy.
Researchers are studying how pollution affects fetal heart development in urban areas.
Common collocations
- fetal development
- fetal growth
- fetal heartbeat
- fetal position
- fetal movement
- fetal alcohol syndrome
- fetal brain
Synonyms
Antonyms
- postnatal
relating to the period after birth
Usage Note
This adjective is almost always used directly before a noun (attributive position). It appears most often in medical, biological, and parenting contexts.
Common Mistakes
The injury caused fetal damage to his organs.
The injury caused fatal damage to his organs.
'fetal' means 'related to a fetus'; 'fatal' means 'causing death.' These two words are often confused because they look and sound similar.