placenta

noun

pla·cen·ta plə-ˈsen-tə

plural placentas or placentae plə-ˈsen-(ˌ)tē

also : an analogous organ in another animal

: a sporangium-bearing surface

especially : the part of the carpel bearing ovules

Examples of placenta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Once their babies are born, the infants keep regenerating their placentas, growing gigantic mushroom caps covered in spirals from their stomachs. —

Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2024 Now, leading scientists are finding these particles in our bodies: organs, blood, brain tissue, and even the placentas of new mothers. —

Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024 Teigen experienced a partial placenta abruption at 20 weeks, which means the placenta separated from the uterus wall too early. —

Escher Walcott, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024 Share [Findings] Microplastics were found in sixty-two of sixty-two human placentas from a biobank in Texas. —

Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for placenta

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, flat cake, from Greek plakoenta, accusative of plakoeis, from plak-, plax flat surface — more at fluke entry 2

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of placenta was in 1638

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Placenta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/placenta. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

placenta

noun

pla·cen·ta plə-ˈsent-ə

plural placentas or placentae -ˈsent-ē

: the organ in most mammals by which the fetus is joined to the uterus of the mother and is nourished

placental

-ˈsent-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

placenta

noun

pla·cen·ta plə-ˈsent-ə

plural placentas or placentae -ˈsent-(ˌ)ē

: the vascular organ in mammals except monotremes and marsupials that unites the fetus to the maternal uterus and mediates its metabolic exchanges through a more or less intimate association of uterine mucosal with chorionic and usually allantoic tissues permitting exchange of material by diffusion between the maternal and fetal vascular systems but without direct contact between maternal and fetal blood and typically involving the interlocking of fingerlike vascular chorionic villi with corresponding modified areas of the uterine mucosa see abruptio placentae