plural ovaries
1
: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that produce eggs and in vertebrates female sex hormones
2
: the enlarged rounded usually basal portion of the pistil or gynoecium of an angiospermous plant that bears the ovules and consists of one or more carpels see flower illustration
Examples of ovary in a Sentence
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Another possibility is that their bodies simply don’t respond as well to IVF stimulation drugs—medications that push the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs at once that are later inseminated to make embryos that can be transferred to the uterus in the hopes of establishing a pregnancy.
—
Sarah Elizabeth Richards, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2026
Technically, the ovaries don’t show cysts, but arrested follicles.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026
Early menopause can happen as part of medical treatment, for instance in women who take ovary-suppressing medication for a hormone-sensitive condition like endometriosis or cancer and in those who get their ovaries removed.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 31 Mar. 2026
Chaste tree berry works along a different pathway, influencing communication between the brain and ovaries.
—Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 30 Mar. 2026
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Sarah Elizabeth Richards, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2026
Technically, the ovaries don’t show cysts, but arrested follicles.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026
Early menopause can happen as part of medical treatment, for instance in women who take ovary-suppressing medication for a hormone-sensitive condition like endometriosis or cancer and in those who get their ovaries removed.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 31 Mar. 2026
Chaste tree berry works along a different pathway, influencing communication between the brain and ovaries.
—Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ovary
Cite this Entry
“Ovary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ovary. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ovary
noun
ova·ry
ˈōv-(ə-)rē 
plural ovaries
1
: one of the usually paired organs in the body of female animals that produces eggs and that in female vertebrates also produces sex hormones
2
: the enlarged rounded lower part of the pistil of a flower in which seeds are formed
Medical Definition
ovary
noun
ova·ry
ˈōv-(ə-)rē
plural ovaries
1
: one of the typically paired essential female reproductive organs that in vertebrates produce eggs and female sex hormones, that occur in the adult human as oval-shaped flattened bodies about one-and-a-half inches (four centimeters) long suspended from the dorsal surface of the broad ligament of either side, that arise from the mesonephros, and that consist of a vascular fibrous stroma enclosing developing egg cells
2
: the female reproductive structure of an angiosperm that bears ovules and is enclosed in a flower
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