ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈō-və-rē 

ˈōv-rē

plural ovaries

1

: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that produce eggs and in vertebrates female sex hormones

2

: the enlarged rounded usually basal portion of the pistil or gynoecium of an angiospermous plant that bears the ovules and consists of one or more carpels see flower illustration

Examples of ovary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People with ovaries experience menopause, the life stage when your menstrual cycle has stopped for 12 months in a row. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 27 Dec. 2024

But Perri Owens had a condition called polycystic ovary syndrom (PCOS) — large ovaries with small cysts on the edges — that made conceiving challenging. —Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 23 Dec. 2024

The eggs are then placed in the dish that acts as a synthetic ovary to mature. —Alexandra York, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Most women know of the term menopause, which refers to the natural process when a woman’s ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, ending the menstrual cycle. —As Told To Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ovarium, from Latin ovum egg

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ovary

• polycystic ovary syndrome

Kids Definition

ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈōv-(ə-)rē 

plural ovaries

1

: one of the usually paired organs in the body of female animals that produces eggs and that in female vertebrates also produces sex hormones

2

: the enlarged rounded lower part of the pistil of a flower in which seeds are formed

Medical Definition

ovary

noun

ova·​ry ˈōv-(ə-)rē 

plural ovaries

1

: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that produce eggs and in vertebrates female sex hormones, that occur in the adult human as oval flattened bodies about one and a half inches (four centimeters) long suspended from the dorsal surface of the broad ligament of either side, that arise from the mesonephros, and that consist of a vascular fibrous stroma enclosing developing egg cells

2

: the female reproductive structure of an angiosperm that bears ovules and is enclosed in a flower