speculum
noun
spec·u·lum
ˈspe-kyə-ləm 
plural specula
ˈspe-kyə-lə
also speculums
also speculums
1
: an instrument inserted into a body passage especially to facilitate visual inspection or medication
2
: a drawing or table showing the relative positions of all the planets (as in an astrological nativity)
3
: a patch of color on the secondaries of most ducks and some other birds
Examples of speculum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Legislators are seeing the interest grow around menopause care, now a $20 billion industry that includes everything from herbal supplements to your own personal vaginal speculum promoted by Halle Berry.
—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
For more than a century, the speculum has remained largely unchanged.
—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2026
Pap smears, on the other hand, use a metal or plastic device called a speculum to widen the vaginal canal so a clinician can swab the cervix for cells.
—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
5 Jan. 2026
Today, women typically see a provider to receive a speculum test for the human papillomavirus (HPV) responsible for cervical cancer.
—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for speculum
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Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
For more than a century, the speculum has remained largely unchanged.
—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2026
Pap smears, on the other hand, use a metal or plastic device called a speculum to widen the vaginal canal so a clinician can swab the cervix for cells.
—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
5 Jan. 2026
Today, women typically see a provider to receive a speculum test for the human papillomavirus (HPV) responsible for cervical cancer.
—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for speculum
Cite this Entry
“Speculum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speculum. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
speculum
noun
spec·u·lum
ˈspek-yə-ləm
plural specula
-lə
also speculums
also speculums
: an instrument that is inserted into a bodily passage in order to help in inspection or the giving of medicine
Medical Definition
speculum
noun
spec·u·lum
ˈspek-yə-ləm
plural specula
-lə
also speculums
also speculums
: any of various instruments for insertion into a body passage to facilitate visual inspection or medication
a vaginal speculum
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