cervix

noun

cer·​vix ˈsər-viks 

plural cervices ˈsər-və-ˌsēz 

(ˌ)sər-ˈvī-(ˌ)sēz

or cervixes

1

: neck

especially : the back part of the neck

2

: a constricted portion of an organ or part

especially : the narrow outer end of the uterus

Examples of cervix in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The United States Preventative Service Task Force advises people with cervixes to get their first Pap smear at age 21 and once every three years after that. —Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 6 Dec. 2024

But lying in the hospital with her cervix open wider than a baseball left her uterus exposed to bacteria and placed her at high risk of developing sepsis, experts told ProPublica. —Cassandra Jaramillo and Kavitha Surana, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024

Zoom in: At 17 weeks pregnant, the fetus was starting to come out of her dilated cervix, according to the report. —Kathryn Varn, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024

For Pap smears, health professionals collect samples from someone's cervix during a pelvic exam to look for cancerous or pre-cancerous cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin cervic-, cervix

First Known Use

1694, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

cervix

noun

cer·​vix ˈsər-viks 

plural cervices ˈsər-və-ˌsēz  or cervixes

: the narrow outer end of the uterus that opens into the cavity of the vagina

Medical Definition

cervix

noun

cer·​vix ˈsər-viks 

plural cervices -və-ˌsēz, ˌsər-ˈvī-(ˌ)sēz  or cervixes

1

: neck sense 1a

especially : the back part of the neck

2

: a constricted portion of an organ or part: as

a

: the narrow lower or outer end of the uterus

b

: the constricted cementoenamel junction on a tooth