English Reference

Word

abdominal

Phoneticsab·dom·i·nal

US/æbˈdɑmənəɫ/

UK/æbdˈɒmɪnəl/

Definitions

01related to the stomach area

B2 · Medicine

adj. relating to the part of your body that contains your stomach and other organs.

adj. pertaining to the abdomen or the cavity between the thorax and the pelvis.

“He went to the doctor because he was having sharp abdominal pains.”

“The surgeon noted that the patient exhibited significant abdominal swelling, suggesting a potential issue with the internal organs.”

Usage

Usually placed before a noun.

Synonyms

02stomach muscles

B2

n. one of the muscles in your stomach area.

n. an abdominal muscle, typically used in the plural to refer to the core musculature.

“You need to strengthen your abdominals to help with your back pain.”

“The fitness instructor emphasized that while many clients focus on their abdominals for appearance, core stability is the primary functional benefit.”

Informal

Usage

Almost always used in the plural form 'abdominals'.

Synonyms

03fish anatomy

C2 · Science

adj. having fins located on the bottom part of the body.

adj. describing fish that have ventral fins located on the abdomen, posterior to the pectoral fins.

“The scientist identified the species by looking at its abdominal fins.”

“The classification of these teleost fish relies heavily on the abdominal position of the pelvic girdle relative to the pectoral fins.”

Technical

Synonyms

Real-World Examples

“If he were to do so again, he would risk blowing out his abdominal wall entirely.”
The Guardian · 3 Sept 2026
“Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and a fever, though some people also feel very tired and suffer sore muscles and joints.”
The Guardian · 21 Aug 2026

Etymology

First attested in 1746. From New Latin abdōminālis, from Latin abdōmen. Equivalent to abdomin- + -al. Compare French abdominal.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

Domain

Zoology

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference