- Vagina
- : The muscular canal extending from the cervix to the outside of the body. It is usually six to seven inches in length, and its walls are lined with mucus membrane. It includes two vaultlike structures, the anterior (front) vaginal fornix and the posterior (rear) vaginal fornix. The cervix protrudes slightly into the vagina, and it is through a tiny hole in the cervix (the os) that sperm make their way toward the internal reproductive organs. The vagina also includes numerous tiny glands that make vaginal secretions.The word "vagina" is a Latin word meaning "a sheath or scabbard", a scabbard into which one might slide and sheath a sword. The "sword" in the case of the anatomic vagina was the penis. Love and war, it would seem, have been connected in the minds of people for millennia.
* * *1. SYN: sheath (1). 2. [TA] The genital canal in the female, extending from the uterus to the vulva. [L. sheath, the v.]- v. carotica [TA] SYN: carotid sheath.- v. cellulosa the connective tissue sheath of a nerve or muscle (perineurium or perimysium, respectively).- vaginae fibrosae digitorum manus [TA] SYN: fibrous sheaths of digits of hand, under sheath. See anular part of fibrous digital sheath of digits of hand and foot, cruciform part of fibrous digital sheath.- vaginae fibrosae digitorum pedis [TA] SYN: fibrous digital sheaths of toes, under sheath. See anular part of fibrous digital sheath of digits of hand and foot, cruciform part of fibrous digital sheath.- v. masculina SYN: prostatic utricle.- v. musculi recti abdominis [TA] SYN: rectus sheath.- vaginae nervi optici sheaths of the optic nerve, formed by extensions of the central meninges. See inner sheath of optic nerve, external sheath of optic nerve.- septate v. a bipartite v. caused by the presence of a more or less complete longitudinal septum. SYN: bipartite v..- v. synovialis [TA] SYN: synovial sheath.- v. tendinis intertubercularis [TA] SYN: intertubercular tendon sheath.- v. tendinis musculi extensoris carpi ulnaris [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor carpi ulnaris muscle.- v. tendinis musculi extensoris digiti minimi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor digiti minimi muscle.- v. tendinis musculi extensoris hallucis longi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor hallucis longus muscle.- v. tendinis musculi extensoris pollicis longi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor pollicis longus muscle.- v. tendinis musculi fibularis longi plantaris [TA] SYN: plantar tendon sheath of fibularis longus muscle.- v. tendinis musculi flexoris carpi radialis [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of flexor carpi radialis muscle.- v. tendinis musculi flexoris hallucis longi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of flexor hallucis longus muscle.- v. tendinis musculi flexoris pollicis longi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of flexor pollicis longus muscle.- vaginae tendinum digitorum pedis [TA] SYN: synovial sheaths of toes, under sheath.- v. tendinum musculi extensoris digitorum pedis longi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor digitorum longus muscle of foot.- v. tendinum musculi flexoris digitorum pedis longi [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of flexor digitorum longus muscle (of foot).- v. tendinum musculorum abductoris longi et extensoris brevis pollicis [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis muscles.- v. tendinum musculorum extensoris digitorum et extensoris indicis [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor digitorum and extensor indicis muscles.- v. tendinum musculorum extensorum carpi radialium [TA] SYN: tendinous sheath of extensor carpi radialis muscles.- vaginae vasorum SYN: vascular sheaths, under sheath.
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va·gi·na və-'jī-nə n, pl -nae -(.)nē or -nas a canal in a female mammal that leads from the uterus to the external orifice opening into the vestibule between the labia minora* * *
n.the lower part of the female reproductive tract: a muscular tube, lined with mucous membrane, connecting the cervix of the uterus to the exterior. It receives the erect penis during coitus: semen is ejaculated into the upper part of the vagina and from there the sperms must pass through the cervix and uterus in order to fertilize an ovum in the Fallopian tube. The wall of the vagina is sufficiently elastic to allow the passage of the newborn child.• vaginal adj.* * *
va·gi·na (və-jiґnə) pl. vagiґnae [L.] 1. sheath; a tubular enveloping structure. 2. [TA] the genital canal in the female, extending from the vulva to the cervix uteri, which receives the penis in copulation.
Medical dictionary. 2011.
