introitus
1
9.9
A small opening at the end of a tube in the body, especially the entrance to the vagina
- noun
- /ɪnˈtrɔɪtəs/
- Specialized
:
introito
- After the surgery, the surgeon discussed the healing process of the introitus.
Examples
-
The doctor examined the introitus during the gynecological check-up.
-
Finally, the free edge of the skin graft was sewn to the edges of the incisions that had been made in the perineum, forming the neovaginal introitus.
Academic text (2012) -
Understanding the structure of the introitus is important for medical students.
Synonyms
23
7.5
An opening that leads into a space inside the body or a pipe
is the specific canal entrance often referring to the vaginal opening
2
8.8
A small space in the body that leads into another opening
is the actual canal opening rather than the larger entrance cavity
Surface Forms
Etymology
Introitus comes from the Latin root intro-, which means 'to enter' and is the same root in introduce. It originally meant 'entrance' or 'a going in', so it is used today for the opening of a body canal, especially the vaginal opening.