I.neutr. collat. form ŭtĕ-rum , 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.
