placenta

Meaning

A organ in most mammals during gestation that supplies food and oxygen to the foetus and passes back waste. It is on wall of the uterus and links to the foetus through the umbilical cord. It is expelled after birth.
In flowering plants, the part of the ovary where ovules develop; in non-flowering plants where the spores develop.

Borrowed from New Latin placenta uterina ("uterine cake"), from Latin placenta ("flat cake"), because of the flat round shape of the afterbirth.

Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.

Get a curated memorable word every day.

Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.

Try out Vedaist now.