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Glite Dictionary
amniotic fluid

amniotic fluid

9 4.2
Clear slightly yellow liquid that surrounds and protects a developing baby in the womb
  • noun
  • /ˌæmniˈɑtɪk ˈfluɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : líquido amniótico
  • In utero, a child, alive but unborn, shifting in a sea of amniotic fluid, surrounded by the white, protective substance known as vernix caseosa.
  • amniotic fluid started to leak
  • sample of amniotic fluid
  • amniotic fluid was low

Also, they found micro nanoplastics in amniotic fluid surrounding the unborn baby.

Examples

  • We just pop it in, take a little amniotic fluid, test it for any abnormalities, and also the DNA sample that you require.

    Bridget Jones's Baby (2016)

  • I have you, my wonderful friends, my ever-curious students, my son, David, my beautiful daughter, Susannah, and a future grandchild, who at this moment is happily floating in her mother's amniotic fluid.

    The Wife (2018)

  • Go look up how much amniotic fluid there can be; now take that out of your belly and you lose a lot.

    Blog text (4)

  • They must think that there is a change to the amniotic fluid right before full labor.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • The fetus accounts for 27% of total weight gained, amniotic fluid for 6%, and the placenta for 5%.

    Academic text (2012)

  • A tiny fetus, perfectly formed, floats in the amniotic fluid.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Also, they found micro nanoplastics in amniotic fluid surrounding the unborn baby.

    KenDBerryMD

  • In amniocentesis, a sample of amniotic fluid is extracted and analyzed.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Only some of it is due to increased body fat, with most of the weight gain being accounted for by the unborn child, placenta, amniotic fluid, and increases in maternal blood and fluid volume.

    Academic text (2012)

  • The doctor explained that the quality of the amniotic fluid can indicate the health of the baby.

Synonyms

waters
vsamniotic fluid
  • Specialized
110 8.0

The liquid around a baby inside the womb that is released when the sac breaks

focuses on the fluid throughout pregnancy rather than on rupture events
amnio
vsamniotic fluid
  • Informal
1 8.6

The fluid that surrounds and protects a baby in the womb

is the formal medical term rather than the short informal form
amnionic fluid
vsamniotic fluid
  • Specialized
5.8

The clear watery fluid that surrounds and protects a baby in the womb

is the alternative spelling with the same medical meaning

Surface Forms

amniotic fluid singular
amniotic fluids plural

Morphology

amniotic + fluid

The meaning is directly compositional: 'amniotic' (pertaining to the amnion or fetal membrane) modifies 'fluid' (a liquid), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it is the liquid associated with the amnion surrounding the fetus. This follows a standard adjective + noun pattern and is conceptually parallel in many languages, so the MWE is transparent to someone who understands the component words.

Etymology

Amniotic fluid is named for the clear liquid inside the thin bag around a baby before birth: amniotic is the bag and fluid is the liquid. This liquid cushions and protects the baby, so the phrase means the 'protective liquid that surrounds a developing baby'.