introitus vaginæ

See also: introitus vaginae

English

Alternative forms

• introitus vaginae

Etymology

From Latin introitus vāgīnæ (“entrance of [a/the] vagina”).

Pronunciation

singular

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ĭntrōʹĭtəs vəjīʹnē, IPA^(key): /ɪnˈtɹəʊ.ɪtəs vəˈdʒaɪniː/

homographic plural

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ĭntrōʹĭto͞os vəjīʹnē, IPA^(key): /ɪnˈtɹəʊ.ɪtuːs vəˈdʒaɪniː/

Noun

introitus vaginæ (plural introitus vaginæ or introitus vaginarum)

1. (anatomy) The entrance to the vagina.
   • 1909, Transactions of the Chicago Gynecological Society, W. Wood & Co., page 56:

     A great many prostitutes can contract their introitus vaginæ at will, and you will find the action of a hypertrophied ring, constrictor cunni, around the outlet of the vagina, and in a great many prostitutes you will find prolapse, too.

   • 1978, Arnold J. Mandell, Coming of Middle Age: A Journey, Summit Books, →ISBN, page 143, →ISBN:

     Your women get hysterectomies, their introitus vaginae tightened, and take estrogen to begin again. I don’t know what you men do.

Usage notes

• The logical plural form of this Latinate phrase is introitus vaginarum — introitūs (“entrances”) vaginarum (“of vaginæ”) — and not introitus vaginæ — introitūs (“entrances”) vaginæ (“of a vagina”), since a single vagina does not have multiple entrances (extraordinary cases notwithstanding).

Synonyms

• vaginal introitus
• vaginal opening

Derived terms

• introitus neovaginae

Translations

the entrance to the vagina

• Icelandic: leggangamunni m