Abdomen

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæb.də.mən/

Definitions

1. The part of the body that lies between the thorax and pelvis, containing digestive organs and often referred to as the belly region
2. The region of the body that houses crucial internal organs, including the stomach and intestines, typically recognized as the stomach area
3. The section of the torso located beneath the rib cage and above the pelvis, where various digestive organs are situated

Etymology: The most striking thing about "abdomen" is how little it originally had to do with the belly. Its Latin ancestor "abdōmen" is thought to come from "abdō", meaning "conceal" or "hide", built from "ab" ("away") and "dō" ("put, place"). The Roman idea was therefore something hidden or tucked away, and the Latin word is generally understood as a name for the part of the body that lies out of sight inside the trunk. The word reached English through Middle French "abdomen", which carried the Latin term into the vocabulary of anatomy. Its first recorded English form, from 1541, was spelled "labdomen", with an initial "l" that was later dropped. The spelling then settled into the form used today.

Synonyms: belly, stomach, tummy, gut, waist

Antonyms: chest, thorax, head, shoulder, back