abdominal cavity

noun

plural abdominal cavities

: 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) : abdomen sense 1b

Most hernias can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity.

—Fred Cicetti

He makes a half-inch incision in the navel and inserts a laparoscope, a flexible optical device for inspecting the abdominal cavity.

—Matt Clark

Examples of abdominal cavity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The official cause of Houdini's death was diffuse peritonitis, which is when a burst appendix spills bacteria into the abdominal cavity. —Emily Blackwood, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024

Abdominal Bloating, Pain, or Tenderness Abdominal bloating, pain, or tenderness can be a sign of metastatic breast cancer that has spread to the liver or the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum. —Julie Scott, Msn, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024

This perforation allows intestinal contents to leak into the abdominal cavity, potentially causing a severe infection called peritonitis.10 Sepsis: This serious infection spreads throughout the body and can occur due to bowel perforation, necrosis, or not receiving volvulus treatment on time. —Sarah Jividen, Health, 22 Sep. 2024

Somatic pain: This pain usually comes from irritation of the peritoneum, the protective lining of the abdominal cavity. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 10 July 2024

This organ is located on the right side of the body, in the upper part of the abdominal cavity, below and to the back of your chest.5 Progressive As chronic liver disease progresses, more of the liver tissue scars, affecting the liver’s core functions. —Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 22 July 2024

Your abdominal cavity—the space between the chest and pelvis—houses many organs, muscles, protective tissues, blood vessels, and nerves.5 Knowing which organs are near your belly button can help pinpoint the potential source of your pain. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 10 July 2024

The baby was soon diagnosed with giant omphalocele, a birth defect of the abdominal wall, in which abdominal contents protrude into a thin-walled sac outside of the abdominal cavity, according to the NIH. —Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024

The male deposits a package of sperm into the female’s abdominal cavity before scuttling off. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1745, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

abdominal cavity

noun

: the cavity of the abdomen (see abdomen sense 1a) 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) : abdomen sense 1b