hymen

Etymology

From Middle French hymen, from Late Latin hymēn, from Ancient Greek ὑμήν (humḗn, “skin, membrane”).^[1]

Pronunciation

• enPR: hī'mən, IPA^(key): /ˈhaɪmən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪmən

Noun

hymen (plural hymens)

1. (anatomy) A membrane which completely or partially occludes the vaginal opening in human females.

   Synonyms: maidenhead, virginal membrane

2. (figurative) Marriage.
   • 1788, [Cassandra,] Lady H[awke], “Adelaide de Tourville to Henrietta de Valiere”, in Julia de Gramont, […], volume II, London: […] T[homas] Bensley, for B[enjamin] White and Son, […], →OCLC, page 203:

     I would for ever baniſh from my thoughts—I will obey the firſt ſummons that proclaims you a happy wife.—On my devoted head may every miſery, reſulting from an ill-fated marriage, have juſtly been exhauſted. On your propitious hymen may ſmiling peace, domeſtic harmony, and mutual love, for ever wait; and time alone diſſolve the tender union!

   • 1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter XV, in Mansfield Park: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, pages 281–282:

     Fanny read to herself that "it was with infinite concern the newspaper had to announce to the world, a matrimonial fracas in the family of Mr. R. of Wimpole Street; the beautiful Mrs. R. whose name had not long been enrolled in the lists of hymen, and who had promised to become so brilliant a leader in the fashionable world, having quitted her husband's roof in company with the well known and captivating Mr. C. the intimate friend and associate of Mr. R. and it was not known, even to the editor of the newspaper, whither they were gone."

References

Anagrams

• hymne

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɦɪmɛn]
• Hyphenation: hy‧men

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ὑμήν (humḗn, “skin, membrane”).

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Further reading

• “hymen”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “hymen”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “hymen”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)

Etymology

< Ancient Greek ὑμήν (humḗn, “hymen”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhy(ː)men/, [ˈhy(ː)me̞n]
• Rhymes: -ymen
• Hyphenation^(key): hy‧men

Noun

hymen (rare)

1. (anatomy) hymen

Further reading

• “hymen”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ὑμήν (humḗn, “skin, membrane”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.mɛn/

• Audio (Switzerland):

  (file)

Noun

hymen m (plural hymens)

1. (anatomy) hymen
2. marriage

Further reading

• “hymen”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin hymēn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxɘ.mɛn/
• Rhymes: -ɘmɛn
• Syllabification: hy‧men
• Homophone: Hymen

Noun

hymen m inan

1. (anatomy, literary) hymen (membrane which occludes the vagina)

   Synonym: błona dziewicza

Further reading

• hymen in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• hymen in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• hymen in PWN's encyclopedia

Etymology

Derived from Ancient Greek ὑμήν (humḗn, “skin, membrane”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɦimen]

Noun

hymen m inan (relational adjective hymenálny or hymenový)

1. hymen

   Synonym: panenská blana

Further reading

• “hymen”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025