: an unborn or unhatched vertebrate especially after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind
specifically
: a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth compare embryo sense 1a
Examples of fetus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Georgia's personhood law defines a fetus as a person and is one of the broadest legislations, giving different rights such as tax breaks and child support to unborn children.
—
Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2025
Some people carrying a fetus with a chromosomal condition are missed, while the majority of those flagged as high risk turn out to be false positives.
—Laura Hercher, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2025
When oxygen is lacking, the mitochondria shift gears and churn out greater amounts of these molecules—which could partly explain long-term damage to the fetus.
—Tim Vernimmen, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
The placenta plays a large role in creating the perfect environment for a fetus to develop and thrive.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fetus
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Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2025
Some people carrying a fetus with a chromosomal condition are missed, while the majority of those flagged as high risk turn out to be false positives.
—Laura Hercher, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2025
When oxygen is lacking, the mitochondria shift gears and churn out greater amounts of these molecules—which could partly explain long-term damage to the fetus.
—Tim Vernimmen, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
The placenta plays a large role in creating the perfect environment for a fetus to develop and thrive.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fetus
Cite this Entry
“Fetus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetus. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fetus
noun
fe·tus
ˈfēt-əs 
plural fetuses
: a young animal while in the body of its mother or in the egg especially in the later stages of development
especially
: a developing human being in the uterus from usually two months after pregnancy occurs to birth compare embryo sense 1
Medical Definition
fetus
noun
fe·tus
variants
or chiefly British foetus
plural fetuses or chiefly British foetuses or foeti
ˈfēt-ˌī
: an unborn or unhatched vertebrate especially after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind
specifically
: a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth compare embryo
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