fetal
adj/ˈfitl̩/
Etymology From fetus + -al.
1
Embryology, Medicine, Sciences Pertaining to, or connected with, a fetus.
- fetal circulation
- fetal membranes
2
Informal In the fetal position.
- I was fetal on my left side, unable to move. My legs fell off my queen-sized bed and were propped up by a rocking chair.2000, Eben Carlson, The Love Artist:
- By 12:00 when Keith arrived home with Connor, I was fetal on the couch and praying for a quick death.2006, Jennifer Hanselman, Party of Nine:
1 more example
- Gage had gone foetal: knees raised, chin ducked , arms shielding his head.2017, Ben Sanders, By Any Means:
- Derived terms
- afetal, early fetal demise, embryofetal, extrafetal, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, fetally, fetalness, fetal position, fetofetal, go fetal, intrafetal, maternofetal, multifetal, nonfetal, oncofetal, Pinard fetal stethoscope, postfetal, uterofetal
- Related terms
- intrauterine, prenatal