Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The external genitals of the female, including the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, and vestibule of the vagina.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In anatomy, the external organs of generation of the female; especially, the orifice of these parts, the external termination of the vagina—of an elliptical contour in the human female.
- noun In entomology, the orifice of the oviduct.
- noun In conchology, the oval or vulviform conformation presented by certain bivalve shells when the right and left valves are in apposition. See
Veneridæ
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Anat.) The external parts of the female genital organs; sometimes, the opening between the projecting parts of the external organs.
- noun (Zoöl.) The orifice of the oviduct of an insect or other invertebrate.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun anatomy The external female
sexual organs , collectively.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun external parts of the female genitalia
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word vulva.
Examples
-
The external organs of the female are included in the term vulva, or pudenda.
Plain facts for old and young : embracing the natural history and hygiene of organic life. 1877
-
I think "vulva" is a great word and should be used more in all kinds of company.
What's in a Name? Zenmomma 2008
-
"I used the word vulva as a child the way some kids said butt or penis or puke."
Claudia Ricci: Call me Ishmael? No, Just Email Me Your Choice Instead! 2010
-
"I used the word vulva as a child the way some kids said butt or penis or puke."
Claudia Ricci: Call me Ishmael? No, Just Email Me Your Choice Instead! 2010
-
Karen Sandstrom, former books editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who is now writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, objects to the number of times I use the word vulva, while Maurene Goo of Venus Zine states that, "Thief uses the word cock a lot."
Maureen Gibbon: A Tale of Rape to Love or Hate Maureen Gibbon 2010
-
When an infant girl touches her vulva is she just then becoming aware of it or is she demonstrating what she learned or knew prior to birth?
-
I hate the word vulva, and would not use it, and when the girls are pointing down there, they're not actually aiming for their vaginas....wait, a rant for a different day.
Heather Has Two Mommies Becca 2005
-
The vulva is the gateway to life, c-sections excepted.
The Ethics of Neonatal Circumcision « Gender Across Borders 2009
-
The vulva is a completely essential part of the reproductive machinery.
The Ethics of Neonatal Circumcision « Gender Across Borders 2009
-
The vulva was the wound that healed itself in rhythm with the lunar cycle.
William Irwin Thompson - Thinking Otherwise: On Gay Marriage William Harryman 2009
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.