Wolffian duct

noun

Wolff·​ian duct ˈwu̇l-fē-ən- How to pronounce Wolffian duct (audio)
: the duct of the mesonephros that persists in the female chiefly as part of a vestigial organ and in the male as the duct system leaving the testis and including the epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and ejaculatory duct

Word History

Etymology

Kaspar Friedrich Wolff

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wolffian duct was in 1876

Dictionary Entries Near Wolffian duct

Cite this Entry

“Wolffian duct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wolffian%20duct. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

Wolffian duct

noun
: the duct of the mesonephros that persists in the female chiefly as part of the epoophoron and in the male as the duct system leaving the testis and including the epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and ejaculatory duct

called also Leydig's duct, mesonephric duct

More from Merriam-Webster on Wolffian duct

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!