abdomen
noun
ab·do·men
ˈab-də-mən 
-ˌdō-;
əb-ˈdō-mən,
ab-
plural abdomens
1
: the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis
… well-defined reddish lesions that can appear anywhere on the body but most often on the thighs and abdomen …—
Susan Logan-McCracken
Susan Logan-McCracken
also
: the cavity of the abdomen that is lined by peritoneum, is bounded above by the diaphragm, anteriorly by a wall of muscle and tissue, and posteriorly by the spinal column, is continuous below with the pelvic cavity, and contains many of the visceral organs and especially those involved in digestion (such as the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and intestines) : abdominal cavity
Removal of the gallbladder—a pear-shaped sac in the right side of your abdomen—has little adverse effect on digestion. —The Mayo Clinic Health Letter
The Mayo Clinic Health Letter 2
: the posterior section of the body behind the thorax in an arthropod
On a nearby table was a … dish of ants that looked familiar except that they had been feeding on peach nectar and the abdomen of each was a large, swollen, translucent sac.—The New Yorker
see insect illustration
The New YorkerSynonyms
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
Extra body fat in the abdomen puts pressure on the bladder, which can worsen or cause urinary incontinence.7
Changing your diet, increasing daily physical activity, getting enough sleep, and managing stress levels are all important for weight loss.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 30 Mar. 2024
Black widow spiders Females have shiny black bodies and red hourglass markings on their abdomens; males may be gray or brown with little red spots.
—The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for abdomen 
Madeleine Burry, Health, 30 Mar. 2024
Black widow spiders Females have shiny black bodies and red hourglass markings on their abdomens; males may be gray or brown with little red spots.
—The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for abdomen
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abdomen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near abdomen
Cite this Entry
“Abdomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abdomen. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
abdomen
noun
ab·do·men
ˈab-də-mən
ab-ˈdō-mən
1
a
: the part of the body between the chest and the hips
b
: the body cavity containing the chief digestive organs
called also abdominal cavity
2
: the hind portion of the body behind the thorax in an arthropod see insect illustration
Medical Definition
abdomen
noun
ab·do·men
ˈab-də-mən, -ˌdō-; əb-ˈdō-mən, ab-
1
b
: the cavity of the abdomen that is lined by the peritoneum, is bounded above by the diaphragm, anteriorly by a wall of muscle and tissue, and posteriorly by the spinal column, is continuous below with the pelvic cavity, and contains many of the visceral organs and especially those involved in digestion (such as the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and intestines) : abdominal cavity
2
: the posterior often elongated region of the body behind the thorax in arthropods
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