What is the Latin word for belly?

The usual Latin words for “belly” are venter, ventriculus, abdōmen; also alvus, stomachus, uterus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“belly” in Latin

venterthe belly; a paunch, maw, conveying the accessory idea of greediness or gormandizing; the stomach ventriculusthe belly; the stomach; a ventricle of the heart abdōmenbelly, abdomen; gluttony alvusbelly, bowels, paunch; excrement; flux, diarrhoea; stomach, digestive organs; womb; matrix (of a fruit)stomachusgullet, alimentary canal; stomach; taste or distaste (depending on context)uteruswomb, uterus; fetus, newborn; belly, paunch pantexbelly, paunch, guts alveushollow, cavity; hollow, deep vessel, basket, trough, tray; deep cavity, excavation; hold, hull prōmineōto stand or jut out; to project, overhang; to be prominent; to bend or reach out (for), extend (to)turgeōto be swollen, swell out; to swell (with rage); to be enraged; to be inflated or bombastic

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

belly

venter (the cavity that contains the stomach and entrails: also used of the stomach. It refers principally to the stomach as viewed externally; hence, the belly of a cask is dolii venter externally, dolii uterus internally): ventriculus (stomach: ventriculus qui receptaculum cibi est, Cels.): abdomen (the prominent, fat coverings of the belly, “paunch.” Hence the best word, when belly is used, to imply gluttony; e.g., to be the slave of one’s belly, or to make one’s belly one’s god, abdomini natum esse; but also ventri deditum esse or operam dare): alvus (the lower cavity of the belly, where the nutritious particles of the food are separated from the excrements, and the chief channel through which the latter are conveyed away): stomachus (the opening of the stomach, and the stomach itself, a the cause of digestion, by its warmth): uterus (womb): pantices, plur. (prae-classical, Plaut., “paunch;” “pot-belly,” in a depreciating sense): alveus (hold of a ship). A pot-belly, venter promissus or projectus. A big belly, venter obesus, ventris obesitas. Big-bellied, ventriosus, or ventruosus, or ventrosus. Belly-pains, belly-ache, tormina; strophus; colicus dolor; colon (colic-pains, colic): to be suffering from the belly-ache, torminibus or ex intestinis laborare; torminibus affectum esse: that has such, colicus. Apt to have the belly-ache, torminosus. A belly-band, cingulum; cingula, plur. (for horses, etc.). Belly-timber, cibaria. A belly-god, abdomini suo natus, ventri deditus, ganeo, heluo, homo profundae gulae, Epicuri de grege porcus. A bellyful, satietas. Belly-Bound, alvo dura or astricta. Belly-pinched, fame enectus, confectus. Belly-worm, lumbricus.

The belly of a wall, mori venter. Big-bellied, lato utero (of a cask, ship, etc.): ampullaceus (like a bottle).

belly v.

prominere, turgere, tumere; timescere, extumescere; impleri vento.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for belly?: The usual Latin words for “belly” are venter, ventriculus, abdōmen; also alvus, stomachus, uterus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.