bel·ly
(bĕĺē)
[Middle English beli, from Old English belg, bag.]
noun: pl., -lies.
- See abdomen
- The underside of the body of certain vertebrates, such as snakes and fish.
- Informal
- The stomach.
- An appetite for food.
- The womb; the uterus.
- A part that bulges or protrudes: the belly of a sail.
- Anatomy The bulging, central part of a muscle.
- A deep, hollow interior: the belly of a ship.
intr. & tr.v.: -lied, -ly·ing, -lies.
- To bulge or cause to bulge. See synonyms at bulge
phrasal verbs
- belly up
- To approach closely: belly up to the bar.
ab·do·men
(ăb́də-mən, ăb-dṓmən)
[Latin abdōmen, belly.]
noun
- The part of the body that lies between the thorax and the pelvis and encloses the stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, and pancreas. Also called belly
- The corresponding region in vertebrates other than mammals.
- The posterior segment of the body in arthropods.
