amniocentesis
noun/ˌæmniəʊsenˈtiːsɪs/
/ˌæmniəʊsenˈtiːsɪs/
[uncountable, singular]- a medical test that involves taking some liquid from a pregnant woman’s womb in order to find out if the baby has particular illnesses or health problems
- Pregnant women over the age of 35 will be offered (an) amniocentesis.
Word Origin1950s: from amnion(mid 17th cent.: from Greek, ‘caul’, diminutive of amnos ‘lamb’) + Greek kentēsis ‘pricking’ (from kentein ‘to prick’).Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
amniocentesis