Etymology
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ventral (adj.)

1739, from French ventral or directly from Late Latin ventralis "of or pertaining to the belly or stomach," from Latin venter (genitive ventris) "belly, paunch; stomach, appetite; womb, unborn child," from PIE *wend-tri- (source also of Latin vesica "bladder," Sanskrit vastih "bladder," Old High German wanast, German wanst "paunch, belly"), perhaps from root *udero- "abdomen, womb, stomach" (see uterus).

Entries linking to ventral

uterus (n.)

"female organ of gestation, womb," late 14c., from Latin uterus "womb, belly" (plural uteri), from PIE root *udero- "abdomen, womb, stomach" (source also of Sanskrit udaram "belly," Greek hystera "womb," Lithuanian vėderas "sausage, intestines, stomach, lower abdomen," Old Church Slavonic vedro "bucket, barrel," Russian vedro).

ventricle (n.)

late 14c., "small chamber or cavity within a bodily organ," especially of the heart, from Latin ventriculus (in reference to the heart, ventriculus cordis), literally "little belly," diminutive of venter (genitive ventris) "belly" (see ventral).

updated on March 12, 2014

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Dictionary entries near ventral

venous

vent

ventilate

ventilation

ventilator

ventral

ventricle

ventriloquism

ventriloquist

ventriloquy

venture

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