pudendum

English

Etymology

From Latin pudenda (“that whereof one ought to feel shame”), substantive use of the neuter plural gerundive of pudet (“it shames”); in Latin the usage in the plural form (to mean external genitalia), was far more common than the singular form, as is also the case in English.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) enPR: pyo͝odĕnʹdəm, pyo͞odĕnʹdəm, IPA^(key): /pjʊˈdɛndəm/, /pjuːˈdɛndəm/

Noun

pudendum (plural pudenda)

(usually in the plural) External genital organs in a human; especially a woman's vulva.
(in the plural) A person's genitals, mons pubis, anus, and buttocks collectively.
(figuratively) A shameful part of something.

Usage notes

This term appears far more frequently in the plural — as pudenda — than in the singular, analogously with genitalia, which is rarely encountered in its obscure singular form genitale, and with genitals, a plurale tantum whose hypothetical singular form, genital, is otherwise an adjective in English.

Derived terms

References

“pudendum” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2^nd Ed.; 1989]
“pudendum, n.” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [Draft revision; Dec. 2008]

Anagrams

undumped

Latin

Etymology

From pudet (“it shames”).

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /puˈden.dum/, [pʊˈd̪ɛn̪d̪ʊ̃ˑ]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /puˈden.dum/, [puˈd̪ɛn̪d̪um]

Verb

pudendum (accusative, gerundive pudendus)

shaming

Declension

Second declension, defective.

Case	Singular
Nominative	—
Genitive	pudendī
Dative	pudendō
Accusative	pudendum
Ablative	pudendō
Vocative	—

There is no nominative form. The present active infinitive of the parent verb is used in situations that require a nominative form.
The accusative may also be substituted by the infinitive in this way.

Participle

pudendum

inflection of pudendus:
1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular
2. accusative masculine singular

Related terms

pudenda