bowel: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to formal in medical contexts; can be informal/euphemistic in everyday use.
Quick answer
What does “bowel” mean?
The long tube in the body that digests food and removes waste.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The long tube in the body that digests food and removes waste; specifically, the lower part of the intestines.
The deepest or most inward parts of something (especially plural 'bowels'), often used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Both use 'bowel'/'bowels'. 'Gut' is a more common informal synonym in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more clinical/formal in everyday British English; slightly more direct in American medical communication.
Frequency
Similar frequency in medical contexts. Metaphorical use ('bowels of the earth') is rare and equally literary in both.
Grammar
How to Use “bowel” in a Sentence
suffer from + bowel + disease/conditionhave a + bowel + movement/obstructionthe + bowels + of + (place/thing)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bowel” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The patient's gut failed to bowel properly after the surgery. (rare, technical)
adjective
British English
- He underwent a bowel resection procedure.
American English
- She has a family history of bowel disease.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and health sciences literature.
Everyday
Used primarily in health discussions, often euphemistically ('bowel problems'). Considered a polite medical term.
Technical
Precise anatomical and clinical term (e.g., 'bowel anastomosis', 'bowel resection').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bowel”
- Using 'bowel' as a countable noun for a single instance (*'I have a pain in my bowel') – use 'bowels' or 'intestine'.
- Misspelling as 'bowl' (a dish).
- Using the singular where the plural is standard ('bowel movement', not *'bowels movement').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is the standard, medically accepted term. It is more polite and formal than 'gut' and much more clinical than slang terms.
Use the plural 'bowels' when speaking generally about the intestines and their function (e.g., 'my bowels'). Use the singular 'bowel' in specific medical compound terms (e.g., 'small bowel', 'bowel cancer').
They are largely synonymous. 'Intestine' is more anatomical. 'Bowel' is slightly more functional/clinical and is the preferred term in many medical compound nouns (e.g., 'bowel disease', not usually 'intestine disease').
Yes, but it is a literary and somewhat old-fashioned usage, e.g., 'the bowels of the ship' meaning its deepest, innermost part.
The long tube in the body that digests food and removes waste.
Bowel is usually neutral to formal in medical contexts; can be informal/euphemistic in everyday use. in register.
Bowel: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbaʊ.əl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbaʊ.əl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the bowels of the earth”
- “the bowels of a ship”
- “a bowel-loosening experience (figurative, fear)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'OWEL' sounds like 'hole' – the 'bowel' is the long tube or 'hole' inside you where food goes.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CONTAINER (with the bowels as the deepest, innermost part). Also, PLACES ARE BODIES ('the bowels of the earth' = the deep, inner part).
Practice
Quiz
In which of these contexts is the word 'bowel' LEAST likely to be used?