What does the Latin term fetus mean?
Fetus is a Latin word that means “the bearing, bringing forth, or hatching of young.” Even though the Latin points to a fetus “hatching,” contemporary science only regards viviparous vertebrates as having fetuses.
What is the Latin origin of the word fetus?
Etymology. The word fetus (plural fetuses or feti) is related to the Latin fētus (“offspring”, “bringing forth”, “hatching of young”) and the Greek “φυτώ” to plant.
What is the scientific definition of fetus?
Listen to pronunciation. (FEE-tus) In humans, an unborn baby that develops and grows inside the uterus (womb). The fetal period begins 8 weeks after fertilization of an egg by a sperm and ends at the time of birth.
When was fetus first used?
1594
Foetus is an English variation on the Latin spelling, and has been in use since at least 1594, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, which describes “fetus” as the preferable spelling.
What do we mean by gestation?
Gestation is defined as the time between conception and birth. Though we’re focusing on human gestation, this term applies more broadly to all mammals. A fetus grows and develops in the womb during gestation.
Is fetus and baby the same thing?
Top things to know While you likely hear people talk about the “baby” when someone is pregnant, there are specific terms that describe the different stages of pregnancy. When egg and sperm meet, a zygote is formed and quickly begins dividing to become an embryo. As pregnancy progresses the embryo becomes a fetus.
What does the word fetus mean in Latin?
This definition alone recognizes the fact that a fetus is a human. Even though this human is not yet fully developed, the preborn fetus is a living member of the human species. It is also interesting to note that, in Latin, “fetus” means “little one,” referring to the relatively small size of the preborn baby.
What is the meaning of the word vena?
vena f (plural vene) (anatomy, botany, zoology) vein (all senses) grain (of wood) talent, aptitude, gift, bent inspiration inclination, desire lode, seam (of a mineral)
When does a fetus become a vertebrate?
: an unborn or unhatched vertebrate especially after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind specifically : a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth — compare embryo.
How big is the fetus at the start of the fetal stage?
In humans, the fetal stage commences at the beginning of the ninth week, fertilisation age or eleventh week gestational age. At the start of the fetal stage, the fetus is typically about 30 millimetres (1.2 in) in length from crown-rump, and weighs about 8 grams. The head makes up nearly half of the size of the fetus.