penis

[ pee-nis ]
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noun,plural pe·nis·es, pe·nes [pee-neez]. /ˈpi niz/. Anatomy, Zoology.
  1. the primary organ used for insemination and, in male mammals, urination.

Origin of penis

1
First recorded in 1685–95, from Latin pēnis “tail, penis”; akin to Greek péos, Sanskrit pásas

Other words from penis

  • pe·nile [peen-l, pee-nahyl], /ˈpin l, ˈpi naɪl/, pe·ni·al [pee-nee-uhl], /ˈpi ni əl/, adjective

Words that may be confused with penis

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How to use penis in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for penis

penis

/ (ˈpiːnɪs) /


nounplural -nises or -nes (-niːz)
  1. the male organ of copulation in higher vertebrates, also used for urine excretion in many mammals

Origin of penis

1
C17: from Latin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for penis

penis

[ nĭs ]


Plural penises penes (nēz)
  1. The male reproductive organ of mammals and some reptiles and birds. In mammals, the penis contains the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder and releases sperm during reproduction.

  2. A similar organ found in the males of some invertebrate animals.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for penis

penis

The organ of the male reproductive system through which semen passes out of the body during sexual intercourse. The penis is also an organ of urination.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.