Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Anatomy, Zoology): In female vertebrates, one of the paired reproductive organs that produce and release ova (egg cells) and secrete the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
   • (Botany): The part of the pistil (the female reproductive organ) of a flower that contains the ovules, which develop into seeds after fertilization.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Anatomy/Zoology):
  • The surgeon removed a cyst from her right ovary.
  • Estrogen is secreted by the ovary.
• Noun (Botany):
  • After pollination, the pollen tube grows toward the ovary.
  • The ovary of this flower will swell to form the fruit.

Advanced Usage

• "Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)": A common hormonal disorder among people of reproductive age, characterized by enlarged ovaries containing small cysts.
  • She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Variants and Related Words

• Ovarian (adj): Pertaining to an ovary.
  • She underwent ovarian cancer screening.
• Ovule (n): The structure in seed plants that develops into a seed after fertilization; located within the ovary.
  • Each ovule contains an egg cell.

Synonyms

• (Anatomy): Female gonad, egg-producing organ.
• (Botany): Seed vessel (in a broader sense, post-fertilization).

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Oophorectomy (n): The surgical removal of one or both ovaries.
  • An oophorectomy may be performed for medical reasons.
• Ovulation (n): The release of an ovum from the ovary.
  • Ovulation typically occurs midway through the menstrual cycle.

Noun

1. (vertebrates) one of usually two organs that produce ova and secrete estrogen and progesterone
2. the organ that bears the ovules of a flower