womb

IPA/wuːm/
KK[wˈum]IPA/wuːm/

womb — noun

  • wombsingular
  • wombsplural

1. the part inside a woman's or other female animal's body where a baby or young an

1.nounB2
Definition

the part inside a woman's or other female animal's body where a baby or young animal grows before it is born

Example

The doctor showed Leo a picture of the baby growing inside his wife Hannah's womb.

inside [possessor]'s womb — possessive determiner for the mother

During the scan, Chiara could see the baby moving inside her womb.

Common collocations
  • in the womb
  • inside the womb
  • womb expands
  • womb contracts
  • baby in the womb
  • grow in the womb
  • leave the womb
  • womb lining
Synonyms
  • uterus

    the medical or technical term for the same organ; used more in clinical and scientific writing

Grammar Patterns

in/inside the womb

the womb + verb (expands / contracts / protects)

Usage Note

In medical contexts the term 'uterus' is more common. 'Womb' is the everyday English word and is used especially when talking about pregnancy and birth.

Common Mistakes

She felt pain in her womb after eating too much.
She felt pain in her stomach after eating too much.
The womb is a reproductive organ in the lower belly; the stomach is a digestive organ higher up. Many languages use one word for both.

Word family

  • womblike
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Womb' and 'uterus' refer to the same physical organ. 'Womb' is the ordinary English word used in everyday conversation and when talking about pregnancy and childbirth: 'She could feel the baby kicking in her womb.' 'Uterus' is the medical term used by doctors, in textbooks, and in scientific writing: 'The ultrasound showed that the uterus was healthy.' The two words are not interchangeable in all contexts — saying 'womb cancer' instead of 'uterine cancer' may sound informal or even old-fashioned to a medical professional. 'Belly' and 'stomach' are sometimes confused with 'womb' by learners because some languages use a single word for the lower abdomen and the womb. In English, 'belly' is the whole front of the body below the chest, and 'stomach' is the digestive organ.

womb ↗uterusbelly ↗stomach ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • in the womb
  • inside the womb
  • from the womb to the tomb

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishProto-GermanicEnglish

The word comes from Old English 'wamb' or 'womb,' meaning 'belly' or 'uterus.' It is related to Old High German 'wamba' (belly) and Dutch 'wam' (belly, paunch). The meaning narrowed over time from 'belly' in general to specifically the organ of pregnancy.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1