womb
UK: wuːm | US: wuːm
n. 1. The uterus of a human or other mammal.
n. 2. A place or environment where something is nurtured or develops (figurative).
The word "womb" traces back to Old English wamb or womb, meaning "belly, uterus, or hollow space." It shares Proto-Germanic roots with Old Norse vömb and Old High German wamba, all referring to the abdomen or a cavity. Over time, its meaning narrowed specifically to the uterus in English. The figurative sense of a "place of nurturing or origin" emerged later, reflecting the womb's role as a source of life.
The fetus develops safely in the mother’s womb.
The artist described the city as the womb of creativity.
Ancient cultures often revered the womb as a symbol of fertility.
She felt a deep connection to the womb of nature.
The novel explores themes of birth and the womb as a metaphor for home.