Labia
/ˈleɪ.bi.ə/noun
The plural of labium; the outer or inner folds of the vulva, or the lip-like parts of a structure.
Did you know?Its root is the same one behind words like *labiate* and *labial*, because Latin *labium* simply meant “lip” long before it became a medical term.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lebʰ-
“to hang down, be loose; a proposed root behind Latin forms for hanging or pendent structures”
Latin
Latin
labium
“lip; a lip-like edge or border”
Late Latin
Latin
labia
“lips (plural of labium)”
Middle English
English
labie
“a lip-like part; later a learned anatomical borrowing”
Modern English
English
labia
“the plural anatomical term for the lip-like folds of the vulva or similar structures”