Abdomens

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæb.də.məns/

Definitions

1. The body segment positioned below the thorax, encasing organs for digestion and reproduction, is identified as an important anatomical region
2. The rear part of an insect or arthropod body located behind the thorax and containing vital organs for digestion and reproduction
3. A major body division in certain animals situated after the thorax that houses essential internal organs

Etymology: The plural "abdomens" is the ordinary form of "abdomen," so the story is the noun's own. The Latin "abdōmen" was used for the belly, and its origin is uncertain: it is possibly built from "abdō," meaning "conceal" or "put away," which is itself from "ab" ("away") and "dō" ("put, place"). On that reading, the belly would be the part of the body that conceals the inner organs. The idea is attractive but not certain, and some scholars treat the link as doubtful. English first recorded the word in 1541, in the spelling "labdomen," with an initial L that reflects the Latin article "la" having been taken as part of the noun. The form came into English through Middle French "abdomen" from Latin, and the plural "abdomens" follows the regular English pattern of adding -s.

Synonyms: bellies, stomachs