The labia are part of the vulva. Vulva is the correct term for the whole external female genital area; the labia are the folds of skin within it. The vagina is a third thing again — an internal canal, not visible externally, and the word is very commonly used where vulva is meant.
The core difference
- vulva — the whole external genital area.
- labia — the folds of skin that form part of it. Latin for lips.
What the vulva includes
- Mons pubis — the fatty area over the pubic bone.
- Labia majora — the outer folds.
- Labia minora — the inner folds.
- Clitoris — largely internal, with only the glans externally visible.
- Vestibule — the area enclosed by the labia minora, containing the urethral and vaginal openings.
The vagina is not the vulva
This is the most common error in everyday English, and it is worth correcting because the words are not interchangeable. The vagina is the internal muscular canal running from the vulva to the cervix. Anything visible externally is vulva. Using vagina for the whole area is imprecise in the same way as using throat for the whole face.
Anatomy educators have argued for years that the imprecision matters — for describing symptoms accurately, and because vagueness about naming body parts is associated with poorer health communication.
Singular and plural
Labia is a Latin plural; the singular is labium. Similarly labia majora and labia minora are plural phrases with the adjectives agreeing. English keeps the Latin forms here, as it does with bacteria and bacterium.
Where the words come from
Vulva is Latin, meaning a covering or wrapper, related to volvere, to roll or turn — the same root as revolve and involve.
Labium is Latin for lip, and appears elsewhere in anatomy and in labial, which in phonetics describes sounds made with the lips.
Vagina is Latin for a sheath or scabbard, a name given by anatomists describing the structure in relation to the penis — an example of how much older anatomical naming reflects the viewpoint of those doing the naming.
This page explains anatomical terms, not your health. Anything specific is a matter for a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the vulva and the labia?
The labia are part of the vulva. Vulva is the term for the whole external genital area; the labia are the folds of skin within it.
Is the vagina the same as the vulva?
No. The vagina is the internal canal. Everything externally visible is the vulva. This is the most common mix-up in everyday English.
What is the singular of labia?
Labium. Labia is a Latin plural, kept in English the same way bacteria and bacterium are.