cervix

American  

[sur-viks] / ˈsɜr vɪks /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

cervixes, cervices

1. the neck, especially the back part.

2. any necklike part, especially the constricted lower end of the uterus.

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cervix British  

/ ˈsɜːvɪks /

noun

1. the technical name for neck

2. any necklike part of an organ, esp the lower part of the uterus that extends into the vagina

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cervix Scientific  

/ sûr′vĭks /

1. A neck-shaped anatomical structure, especially the narrowed, lower end of the uterus that extends into the vagina.

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cervix Cultural  

1. The narrow outer end of the uterus. A portion of the cervix extends into the vagina. (See reproductive systems.)

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Other Word Forms

• cervical adjective

Etymology

Origin of cervix

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin cervīx “neck, nape, uterine cervix”

Compare meaning

How does cervix compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cervix vs. uterus

Example Sentences

When my wife was pregnant, her OB-GYN declared her cervix to be incompetent and put her on bed rest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

PIEZO2, in contrast, is located in sensory nerves in the cervix and vagina.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2026

Doctors typically swab a patient’s cervix in clinical settings to test for high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus, an infection that can cause cancer when left untreated, through Pap smears and HPV testing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

Yet for people like Lauren—and, incidentally, the actress and director Lena Dunham—removing the organ, and/or ovaries and cervix, can bring substantial relief.

From Slate • Jul. 15, 2025

Mary always stared at them while she ate, just as she was doing when Gey walked into the lab carrying the pieces of Henrietta’s cervix.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• collar