Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
uterine cervix

uterine cervix

5.6
The narrow lower end of the womb that forms a passage to the vagina
  • noun
  • /ˈjuːtərɪn ˈsɜrvɪks/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cérvix uterino
  • Infections of the uterine cervix can cause complications during pregnancy if not treated.

Examples

  • The most common situations that involve the mother's and the yet-to-be-born baby's life are ectopic pregnancy, carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and cancer of the ovary.

    Blog text (9)

  • Regular screenings can help detect issues early in the uterine cervix that may lead to cancer.

  • Family history as a co-factor for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: results from two studies conducted in Costa Rica and the United States.

    Blog text (15)

  • The doctor took a sample from the uterine cervix to check for any abnormalities.

Synonyms

cervix
vsuterine cervix
  • Specialized
21 6.0

A narrow lower part of the womb that makes a passage to the vagina

is the more formal term for the exact same anatomical part
cervix uteri
vsuterine cervix
  • Specialized
5.1

The lower necklike part of the womb that connects to the vagina

focuses on the canal formed through the lower part rather than just the opening

Surface Forms

uterine cervix singular
uterine cervices plural

Morphology

uterine + cervix

The meaning is directly compositional: 'uterine' specifies relation to the uterus and 'cervix' names the neck/canal structure, so together they denote the cervix of the uterus. This simple adjective + noun composition is cross-linguistically common and therefore a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Uterine cervix comes from old words meaning 'womb' and 'neck'. Think of the lower, narrow 'neck' of the uterus, the cervix, and you can see why the name means the narrow lower end of the womb that leads to the vagina.