o·va·ry

[oh-vuh-ree]
noun, plural o·va·ries.
1.
Anatomy, Zoology. the female gonad or reproductive gland, in which the ova and the hormones that regulate female secondary sex characteristics develop.
2.
Botany. the enlarged lower part of the pistil in angiospermous plants, enclosing the ovules or young seeds.
Origin:
1650–60; < Neo-Latin ōvārium. See ovum, -ary

Related forms
pseud·o·va·ry, noun, plural pseud·o·va·ries.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To ovary
Collins
World English Dictionary
ovary (ˈəʊvərɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n , pl -ries
1.  either of the two female reproductive organs, which produce ova and secrete oestrogen hormones
2.  the corresponding organ in vertebrate and invertebrate animals
3.  botany the hollow basal region of a carpel containing one or more ovules. In some plants the carpels are united to form a single compound ovary
 
[C17: from New Latin ōvārium, from Latin ōvum egg]
 
ovarian
 
—adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Ovary is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

ovary
1650s, from Mod.L. ovarium "ovary" (16c.), from M.L. ovaria "the ovary of a bird" (13c.), from L. ovum "egg," from PIE *owyo-/*oyyo- "egg" (see egg). In classical L., ovarius meant "egg-keeper."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

ovary o·va·ry (ō'və-rē)
n.
One of the paired female reproductive organs that produce ova and certain sex hormones, including estrogen. Also called oophoron.

o·var'i·an (ō-vâr'ē-ən) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
ovary   (ō'və-rē)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. The reproductive organ in female animals that produces eggs and the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. In most vertebrate animals, the ovaries occur in pairs. In mammals, the ovaries contain numerous follicles, which house the developing eggs (oocytes). See more at menstrual cycle, ovulation.

  2. The part of a carpel or of a gynoecium made of fused carpels that contains the ovules in a flower. The ovary is located at the base of the carpel and ripens into a fruit after fertilization of one or more of the ovules. See more at flower.


ovarian adjective (ō-vâr'ē-ən)
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
In essence, they're hoping to turn the petri dish into an artificial ovary.
In this particular case, a protein needed by anemia patients was produced in
  hamster ovary cells.
About every month after menstruation starts, an ovary releases an egg, called
  an ovum.
In many cases, ovarian cancer fails to manifest any symptoms until it has
  spread into tissue outside the ovary.
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriHome Advisor
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT