bowel
3 synonyms for bowel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Part of the intestines, especially the large intestine.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
intestine
large intestine
How to use bowel
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
bowel movement
bowel cancer
the bowels of the earth
Etymology
From Old French boiel, ultimately from Latin botellus, "little sausage" — the same root as botulism.
Full origin of bowel →Frequently asked questions
What does “bowel” mean?
The word “bowel” means part of the intestines, especially the large intestine. In plain terms, part of the intestine, or (figuratively) the deep interior of something.
How do you pronounce “bowel”?
“Bowel” is pronounced BOW-uhl (/ˈbaʊ.əl/ in IPA).
How do you use “bowel” in a sentence?
Here is “bowel” used in a sentence: “The doctor recommended more fibre for better bowel health.”
What part of speech is “bowel”?
“Bowel” is a noun.
Where does the word “bowel” come from?
The word “bowel” comes from Latin. From Old French boiel, ultimately from Latin botellus, "little sausage" — the same root as botulism.
Is “bowel” a common word?
“Bowel” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bowel” have?
“Bowel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: part of the intestines, especially the large intestine.
What is the difference between "bowel" and "bowels"?
"Bowel" refers to part of the intestines, especially the large intestine, while the plural "bowels" often refers to the whole intestinal tract or is used figuratively for the deep interior of something, such as "the bowels of the earth."
How is "bowel" used figuratively?
Figuratively, "bowel" (usually as "bowels") describes the deep, hidden interior of something, as in "the bowels of the ship," drawing on the idea of intestines being deep inside the body.
