Word
vaginal
Phoneticsvagi·nal
US/vəˈdʒaɪnəɫ/
UK/vˈædʒɪnəl/
Definition
adj. relating to the vagina, the passage in a woman's body that connects the outer sex organs to the uterus.
adj. of, relating to, or affecting the vagina. This is a non-gradable, relational adjective used in clinical and anatomical contexts.
Examples
“The doctor discussed different vaginal health options with the patient.”
“Vaginal delivery is the most common way for a baby to be born naturally.”
“The study examined how various medications affect the vaginal microbiome and overall reproductive health in adult women.”
Examples
simple
“The doctor discussed different vaginal health options with the patient.”
contextual
“Vaginal delivery is the most common way for a baby to be born naturally.”
complex
“The study examined how various medications affect the vaginal microbiome and overall reproductive health in adult women.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
Teaching tip
While the headword is technical, it is essential for adult learners to know for medical consultations and health literacy.
Real-World Examples
“At the same time, the clinic is trialling the Wid-easy test , a vaginal swab that checks for womb cancer in women with abnormal bleeding.” “Although the males appear to strive for an element of surprise, female harbor porpoises can exert some control over the mating process, and Orbach believes the vaginal wrinkles may support that .” Etymology
Borrowed from New Latin vāgīnālis, from vāgīna (“a covering, sheath; the vagina”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix); equivalent to vagina + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.