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noun Uncommon

bowel

BOW-uhl

Bowel (noun) means Part of the intestines, especially the large intestine. Example: “The doctor recommended more fibre for better bowel health.”

noun
1
Part of the intestines, especially the large intestine.
"The doctor recommended more fibre for better bowel health."
2
The deep interior of something, used figuratively.
"The old text spoke poetically of the bowels of the earth."

How to use bowel

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPart of the intestine, or (figuratively) the deep interior of something.

Common pairings
bowel movement bowel cancer the bowels of the earth

Word forms

boweled past tense, bowelled past tense, bowels plural, bowels singular

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The doctor recommended more fibre for better _____ health.

Etymology

From Old French boiel, ultimately from Latin botellus, "little sausage" — the same root as botulism.

Origin: Latin

intestine gut large intestine

Related words

Rhymes for bowel

See all rhymes for 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.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial