Placenta has two distinctclearly different from each other meanings: one in botanythe scientific study of plants and one in mammal anatomy. The most common everyday meaning is the organ that develops in the uterusthe organ where a baby grows before birth during pregnancy and helps support the baby.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /pluh-SEN-tuh/
Easy pronunciation: pluh-SEN-tuh (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the middle syllable: SEN.
Use the mammal uterus organ sense, not the plant ovary sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Placenta Meaning
The temporary organ that supports a baby during pregnancy.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: The organ in the uterus of a pregnant mammal that gives the developing fetus oxygen and nutrients and removes wastes.
Example: The doctor checked the placenta after the birth.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Placenta
Meaning 2
The part of a plant ovary where seeds begin to form.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: The part of the ovary of a flowering plant where ovules develop.
Example: The ovules are attached to the placenta inside the ovary.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse the mammal placenta with the plant placenta; they are unrelated senses.
- The word is singular as a noun; the plural is placentas.
- In medical use, placenta refers to the organ during pregnancy, not the fetus itself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does placenta mean in pregnancy?
In pregnancy, the placenta is the organ in the uterus that supplies the baby with oxygen and nutrients and removes waste.
What is the botanical meaning of placenta?
In botany, placenta means the part of a flowering plant's ovary where ovules develop.
Does placenta have synonyms?
No strong everyday synonyms were supplied for either sense in the source data, so there are no reliable synonyms to list.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.