vulva

CEFRB2

/ˈvʌlvə/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The external female sexual organs.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A protrusion on the side of a nematode.

Examples

  • The vagina meets the external organs at the vulva.

  • The vulva is the outer part of the vagina.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
3
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meaning
  1. The external female genitalia of humans and other placental mammals, which includes the clitoris, labia, and vulval vestibule/vulvar opening.

More examples

In context
  • The vulvae of the sow were popular as a gourmet's dish. Credited with erotic effects.

  • The wedge-shaped character was the triangle, the archaic Paleolithic sign of the vulva; the pubic triangle was at the end of the phallic stylus.

  • Many of the less-sophisticated works are sexual in nature. Among the most common images are stylised vulvas, whole flocks of which appear on some cave walls.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

During childbirth, the baby passes through the blank after leaving the uterus.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Learned borrowing from Latin vulva, earlier volva (“womb, female sexual organ”), probably from volvō (“to turn, wrap around”). Akin to Sanskrit उल्ब॑ (úlba) and उल्व॑ (úlva, “womb”) or English valve, valva and other descendants of the Latin term (evolve, involve, revolve).