: the placenta and fetal membranes that are expelled after delivery
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThen huddling slave women surround a bloody afterbirth plopped onto a cabin floor. Armond White, National Review, 12 May 2021 Some cows appear to still have afterbirth hanging from their bodies as they are milked and others are seen with eyes that appear infected. Alexia Elejalde-ruiz, chicagotribune.com, 12 June 2019 When a baby was born on Sapelo, the afterbirth was always buried to tie it to the island.The Economist, 26 Oct. 2017 Those results may shed more light on whether downing afterbirth is actually something to consider. Amanda Macmillan, Health.com, 30 June 2017
Word History
Etymology
after- + birth entry 1
First Known Use
1527, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
afterbirth
noun
af·ter·birth ˈaf-tər-ˌbərth
: the placenta and fetal membranes that are expelled after delivery