Dictionary:

abdomen

  (ăb'də-mən, ăb-dō'mən)

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1. The part of the body that lies between the thorax and the pelvis and encloses the stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, and pancreas. Also called belly.
2. The corresponding region in vertebrates other than mammals.
3. The posterior segment of the body in arthropods.

[Latin abdōmen, belly.]

Source

A major body division of the vertebrate trunk lying posterior to the thorax; and in mammals, bounded anteriorly by the diaphragm and extending to the pelvis. The diaphragm separates the abdominal or peritoneal cavity from the pleural and pericardial cavities of the thorax. In all pulmonate vertebrates (possessing lungs or lunglike organs) other than mammals, the lungs lie in the same cavity with the abdominal viscera, and this cavity is known as the pleuroperitoneal cavity.

The large coelomic cavity that occupies the abdomen contains the viscera within the peritoneal sac. Connecting sheets of peritoneum from the body wall to the various organs form the mesenteries. Other folds of the peritoneum form the omenta.

The term abdomen is also applied to a similar major body division of arthropods and other animals.

The proper anatomical term for what is known colloquially as the belly, or as the ‘stomach’, especially when localizing an ache or pain. The abdomen is roofed by the diaphragm, which separates it from the thorax (chest). At the front and sides is the abdominal wall, of skin, fat and muscle, and at the back, the spine (vertebral column) ; this whole compartment is the abdominal cavity. ‘Cavity’ suggests an empty space, which it is not. It is completely filled with the abdominal organs: the stomach and intestines; the liver, gall bladder, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys. These are all covered by a thin membrane, continuous with that which also lines the inside of the abdominal wall (peritoneum). This encloses the peritoneal ‘cavity’ that normally contains only a film of fluid. The abdominal cavity and its peritoneal lining are continuous below with those of the pelvis.

— Stuart Judge

See alimentary system; peritoneum; alimentary system.

The portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis.

Lower part of the trunk between the diaphragm and the pelvis containing soft body tissues, including the stomach, kidneys, liver, and intestines. The shape of a healthy abdomen varies. In children it often protrudes, but if this is too marked it may indicate a disease such as kwashiorkor. In young adults, the abdomen should be slightly in-drawn or only slightly prominent, with the outline of the abdominal muscles visible.

The part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis that encloses the organs of the abdominal cavity; the belly.

The portion of the body between the thorax and the pelvis containing the abdominal cavity. See also abdominal.

• acute a. — an acute intra-abdominal condition of abrupt onset, usually associated with pain due to inflammation, perforation, obstruction, infarction or rupture of abdominal organs, and usually requiring emergency intervention. Called also surgical abdomen.
• gaunt a. — decreased abdominal size.
• surgical a. — see acute abdomen (above).

n.

The temple of the god Stomach, in whose worship, with sacrificial rights, all true men engage. From women this ancient faith commands but a stammering assent. They sometimes minister at the altar in a half-hearted and ineffective way, but true reverence for the one deity that men really adore they know not. If woman had a free hand in the world's marketing the race would become graminivorous.

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For the human abdomen, see human abdomen.

The abdomen is the part of the body that lies between the chest and the thigh and encloses the ureters, intestines, liver, anus, bladder, gallbladder, and reproductive system outside the breast. It is also called the belly or venter.^[1] In humans, and in many other vertebrates, it is the region between the thorax and the pelvis (Separating the thoracic cavity and the abdominal cavity is the thoracic diaphragm). In fully developed insects, the abdomen is the third (or posterior) segment, after the head and thorax.

Vertebrates

In vertebrates, the abdomen contains several organs:

• Part of the digestive system (gallbladder, liver, anus, appendix, rectum, and intestines),
• Part of the urinary system (ureters, bladder, urethra).
• The internal reproductive organs (ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vulva, and vagina in women, testes, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate, penis and urethra in men)

The abdomen also contains some of the largest and most easily accessible blood vessels in many animals, and is often used in medicine experimentation for catheterisation.

For various reasons, the abdomen is often coloured differently from the rest of the body. In animals with furry or hairy bodies, the abdomen is frequently hairless, or nearly so.

The abdomen is oval in shape and is the largest cavity in the body. It can be broken down into the lower and upper extremity. The lower extremity covers the inner surface of the bony pelvis. The Levator ani and Coccygeus are located on either side

The diaphragm forms the upper extremity and acts as a dome over the abdomen extending to the upper border of the fifth rib. It is an element in the anterior chain.

Invertebrates

The invertebrate abdomen is built up of a series of concave upper plates known as tergites and convex lower plates known as sternites, the whole being held together by a tough yet stretchable membrane.

The abdomen contains the insect's digestive tract and reproductive organs, it consists of eleven segments in most orders of insects though the eleventh segment is absent in the adult of most higher orders. The number of these segments does vary from species to species with the number of segments visible reduced to only seven in the common honeybee. In the Collembola (Springtails) the abdomen has only six segments.

Unlike other Arthropods, insects possess no legs on the abdomen in adult form, though the Protura do have rudimentary leg-like appendages on the first three abdominal segments, and Archaeognatha possess small, articulated "styli" which are sometimes considered to be rudimentary appendages. Many larval insects including the Lepidoptera and the Symphyta (Sawflies) have fleshy appendages called prolegs on their abdominal segments (as well as their more familiar thoracic legs), which allow them to grip onto the edges of plant leaves as they walk around.

See also

Human abdomen

References

1. ^ The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary. KMLE Medical Dictionary Definition of abdomen.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - underliv, bug, mave

Nederlands (Dutch)
(onder)buik, achterlijf (van insect), ,

Français (French)
n. - (Méd) abdomen, bas-ventre

Deutsch (German)
n. - Unterleib, Bauch

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - κοιλιά

Italiano (Italian)
basso ventre, addome

Português (Portuguese)
n. - abdome (m) (Anat.)

Русский (Russian)
живот, брюшная полость, брюшко

Español (Spanish)
n. - abdomen, vientre

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - buk

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
下腹, 腹部

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 下腹, 腹部

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 복부

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 腹部

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) بطن : قسم من جسم الإنسان أسفل الصدر ويحتوي على المعده والأمعاء‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בטן‬

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