fetus

The word "fetus" describes a developing human or animal in the womb after the embryonic stage. It names a stage of pregnancy when the body parts are already formed in a basic way and continue to grow and mature. You will often see this word in medical contexts, where people talk about fetal development, movement, health, or position. In everyday use, it usually appears when someone is speaking clearly and carefully about pregnancy.

Imagine the early part of life as a long process of growth. A fetus is a developing human or animal in the womb after the embryo stage. In humans, this term is usually used from about the eighth week after conception until birth. Before that point, the developing being is called an embryo. Once this later stage begins, the main body structures are already present in basic form, and the focus is more on growth, movement, and the continued development of organs and other features.

The word "fetus" comes from Latin and has long been used in medical and scientific language. You might hear it in conversations about prenatal care, in research about development, or in legal and ethical discussions related to pregnancy. For example, doctors may speak about fetal growth or a fetal heartbeat, and researchers may study how a fetus develops over time. The word is mainly technical, but it is also widely understood in general English when people talk about pregnancy in a precise way.