in utero

adverb or adjective

: in the uterus : before birth
a disease acquired in utero
an in utero diagnosis

Examples of in utero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By Chantelle Lee December 4, 2024 3:34 PM EST Kate Dineen was about 33 weeks pregnant with her second child when an ultrasound revealed that her baby had suffered a catastrophic stroke in utero and would likely either die before birth or have a short and painful life. Chantelle Lee, TIME, 4 Dec. 2024 In the same vein, scientists increasingly suspect that exposures to risk factors at certain ages — whether in utero, early childhood, or early adulthood — could be playing an important role in a person’s risk of developing cancer at a young age. Dylan Scott, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 Proper nutrition and stimulation in utero and during early childhood improve physical and mental well-being later in life. Jim Yong Kim, Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2018 Modern research now supports what Indigenous people have always known—that babies in utero are profoundly affected by sound and can recognize familiar voices from birth. Victor A. Lopez-Carmen, Md, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for in utero 

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in utero was in 1713

Dictionary Entries Near in utero

Cite this Entry

“In utero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20utero. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

in utero

adverb or adjective
: in the uterus : before birth
a disease acquired in utero
an in utero diagnosis

Legal Definition

in utero

adverb or adjective
: in the uterus : before birth
an injury suffered in utero
that her condition could possibly be linked to in utero exposureBurgess v. Eli Lilly & Co., 995 F.2d 646 (1993)
Etymology

Latin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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