Word
bowel
Phoneticsbow·el, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbaʊəɫ/
UK/bˈaʊəl/
Definitions
01intestines
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Medicine
n. the long tube in your body that processes food and carries waste away.
n. the part of the alimentary canal below the stomach; the intestines, particularly the large intestine.
“The doctor asked if he had been having regular bowel movements lately.”
“Chronic inflammation of the bowel can lead to significant discomfort and requires a carefully managed diet to avoid flare-ups.”
Usage
Often used in the medical phrase 'bowel movement' to refer to the act of passing waste.
02deep interior
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Literary
n. the deepest or most hidden parts of something, like a building or a ship.
n. the deep or innermost parts of a physical structure or geographic feature.
Español:entrañas
“The engineers spent all day working in the dark bowels of the ship.”
“Deep within the bowels of the old library, researchers discovered a collection of manuscripts that had been forgotten for centuries.”
Usage
Almost always used in the plural form 'bowels' when referring to interiors.
03pity or mercy
C2 · Proficiency Plural noun Archaic
n. an old way of talking about a person's ability to feel pity or kindness.
n. the seat of pity or the gentler emotions; the capacity for mercy.
“The cruel king showed no bowels of compassion for his prisoners.”
“The poet appealed to the judge's bowels of mercy, hoping for a lighter sentence for the impoverished thief.”
Teaching tip
This sense is found almost exclusively in historical literature or religious texts like the King James Bible.
Synonyms
Antonyms
04to remove organs
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
v. to take the internal organs out of a person or animal.
v. to eviscerate or disembowel a creature.
“The hunters would bowel the deer immediately after the catch.”
“In ancient times, certain execution methods involved the public act of bowelling the condemned while they were still alive.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“He told BBC Scotland: "I turned 50 recently and I got a letter through the post with a bowel screening test.” “It can affect organs like the bladder and bowel.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French bouel, from Old French boïel, from Latin botellus, diminutive of botulus (“sausage”). Doublet of boyau.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/bowel
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0