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

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

Traditionally, many women have been screened for cervical cancer with cervical cytology – also known as Pap tests or Pap smears – in which cells from the cervix are collected and checked for signs of cancer. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024

The hormones suppress ovulation and thicken the mucus lining of the cervix, impeding sperm from reaching any egg that is released. —Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024

Jennifer Salcedo, an ob-gyn who left a practice in Honolulu to move to the Valley, recalled that early on she was rushed into an operating room where a physician had attempted to perform a D. & E. but hadn’t fully dilated the woman’s cervix—a mandatory first step. —Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 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