ŭtĕrus, i, m. (collat. form ŭter, Caecil. ap. Non. 188, 15; neutr. collat. form ŭtĕrum, i, Plaut. Aul. 4, 7, 10, acc. to Non. 229, 33; Turp. and Afran. ib.) [Sanscr. uttara, later; Gr. ὕστερος; cf. Gr. ὑστέρα, womb; Sanscr. udaram, belly; Engl. udder], the womb, matrix (syn. volva).
I Lit.: utero exorti dolores, Plaut. Am. 5, 1, 40: perii, mea nutrix, uterum dolet! id. Aul. 4, 7, 10; id. Truc. 1, 2, 96: quae te beluam ex utero, non hominem fudit, Cic. Fragm. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 8, 139; Plaut. Truc. 1, 2, 97; Hirt. ap. Quint. 8, 3, 54; Prop. 4, 1, 100; Hor. C. 3, 22, 2; Ov. M. 9, 280; 9, 315; 10, 495; id. F. 2, 452; Tac. A. 1, 59; Plin. 9, 6, 5, § 13.—
II Transf.
A Of the cavities of the earth, from which the first creatures are represented to have come forth, Lucr. 5, 806; cf. Lact. 2, 11 init. —
B The fruit of the womb , a fetus , child , young : feminae uterum gerentes, i. e. pregnant , Cels. 2, 10; Tac. A. 1, 59.—Of animals, Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 14; Plin. 8, 40, 62, § 151.—
C In gen., the belly , paunch : me puero uterus erat solarium: ubi iste monebat esse, etc., Plaut. Fragm. ap. Gell. 3, 3, 5; Verg. A. 7, 499; Cels. 4, 1; Juv. 10, 309; Luc. 6, 115; 9, 773.— Of swans, Plin. 10, 47, 66, § 131.—
2 Of inanimate things; of the Trojan horse, Verg. A. 2, 52: dolii, Col. 12, 4, 5: lato utero (navium), Tac. A. 2, 6.