bowel

[ bou-uhl, boul ]

noun

1. Anatomy.
   1. Usually bowels. the intestine.
   2. a part of the intestine.
2. bowels,
   1. the inward or interior parts:

      the bowels of the earth.

   2. Archaic. feelings of pity or compassion.

verb (used with object)

boweled, boweling or (especially British) bowelled, bowelling.

1. to disembowel.

bowel

/ ˈbaʊəl /

noun

1. an intestine, esp the large intestine in man
2. plural innards; entrails
3. plural the deep or innermost part (esp in the phrase the bowels of the earth )
4. archaic.
   plural the emotions, esp of pity or sympathy

bowel

/ bou′əl /

1. The intestine.

Other Word Forms

• bowel·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bowel¹

1250–1300; Middle English b ( o ) uel < Old French < Latin botellus little sausage ( bot ( ulus ) sausage + -ellus -elle )

Word History and Origins

Origin of bowel¹

C13: from Old French bouel , from Latin botellus a little sausage, from botulus sausage

Example Sentences

GPs will work more closely with specialists to access expert advice quickly for patients with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, menopause symptoms and ear infections.

From BBC

During the offseason, construction crews gutted the bowels of Dodger Stadium, digging deep trenches down the left and right field foul lines to build new, expanded clubhouse areas.

From Los Angeles Times

A scan taken in August showed a lesion in the bowel.

From BBC

A replica awaited in the bowels of Wales' stadium to be handed over to England in a ceremony behind closed doors, but in front of the television cameras.

From BBC

George, a top agent at a London intelligence agency, meanders through the chimeric bowels of a posh nightclub, hunting for a contact who’s got some bad news waiting.

From Salon

Related Words

• abdominal