uterinus

Uterinus is a Latin adjective meaning “of the uterus” or “uterine.” In classical and medical Latin it has gendered forms: uterinus (masculine), uterina (feminine), and uterinum (neuter), with the stem uter- derived from the noun uterus. In modern English, the corresponding term is usually uterine, but the Latin forms still appear in anatomical phrases or historical texts.

Usage in anatomy and taxonomy often hinges on Latin grammar. For example, arteria uterina refers to the uterine artery, with the feminine form uterina agreeing with the feminine noun arteria. Ligamentum uterinum uses the neuter form to agree with ligamentum. Plexus uterinus would use the masculine form to modify a masculine noun. Although less common in contemporary English, these Latin forms recur in older anatomical writings and in some Latinized scientific names where the epithet denotes relation to the uterus.

Compared with the English term, uterine, uterinus is primarily encountered in Latin phrases or as a scholarly or historical marker rather than in routine medical communication. When translating or rendering Latin terms into English, uterine is typically used, and the Latin inflected forms are preserved only in Latin texts or specialized contexts.

See also: uterus; uterine artery; uterine ligaments; Latin grammar in medical terminology.