noun
Uncommon
bowels
BOW-uhlz
Bowels (noun) means the intestines, especially in medical or bodily contexts. Example: “She had been having trouble with her bowels for weeks.”
noun
1
The intestines, especially in medical or bodily contexts.
"She had been having trouble with her bowels for weeks."
2
The deepest, innermost part of something, used figuratively.
"Some say the plague was brought by Hattie; There was talk of a hangin’, too. But the talk got shackled by the howls and the cackles From the bowels of the Black bayou."
— “Swamp Witch”, Swamp Witch (1973)
"down in the bowels of the Earth"
"The station was half deserted, half rowdy, several fellows were drunk, shouting and crowing. Down there in the bowels of London, after midnight, everything seemed horrible and unnatural."
— D. H. Lawrence (1922)
"The miners worked deep in the bowels of the mountain."
How to use bowels
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe intestines, or figuratively the deepest interior of something.
Common pairings
the bowels of the earth
move one's bowels
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Frequently asked questions
What does “bowels” mean?
The word “bowels” means the intestines, especially in medical or bodily contexts. In plain terms, the intestines, or figuratively the deepest interior of something.
How do you pronounce “bowels”?
“Bowels” is pronounced BOW-uhlz (/ˈbaʊ.əlz/ in IPA).
How do you use “bowels” in a sentence?
Here is “bowels” used in a sentence: “She had been having trouble with her bowels for weeks.”
What part of speech is “bowels”?
“Bowels” is a noun.
Is “bowels” a common word?
“Bowels” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “bowels” have?
“Bowels” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the intestines, especially in medical or bodily contexts.
