What does hymen mean?
A hymen is a thin fold of tissue at the opening of the vagina. Its anatomy varies greatly: it may be thin or elastic, shaped differently in different people, and sometimes have little or no opening. Medical and educational guidance therefore cautions against treating its appearance as proof of virginity or sexual history. The word also has an older figurative sense for virginity or the state of being newly married, especially in literature written before modern anatomical understanding. That symbolic sense can be found in phrases referring to a bride's hymen, but it is now literary or archaic rather than standard contemporary vocabulary. Anatomically, the term remains important in medicine because conditions affecting the hymen can cause pain, difficulty with intercourse, or urinary problems. It is best discussed clinically and without assumptions about a person's sexual experience.
nounA thin fold of tissue at the opening of the vagina. Its shape, flexibility, and degree of openness vary considerably, so its appearance is not a reliable indication of sexual experience.
- The thin membrane or fold of tissue at the opening of the vagina.
- In older literary and figurative use, virginity or the state of being newly married.
"A hymen can differ considerably in shape and flexibility from one person to another."
"The clinician explained that the hymen varied in shape and flexibility."
"In older poetry, the hymen often symbolized a bride's untried or unmarried state."
The plural is grammatically standard but uncommon; anatomical writing generally discusses the hymen in the singular.
"The clinician explained how hymens can vary in shape and flexibility."
The hymen is not a reliable indicator of virginity: its shape and flexibility vary widely.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hymen come from?
The word comes ultimately from ancient Greek ὑμήν (hymēn), meaning “membrane,” through Latin and medieval European usage. The anatomical meaning developed from the Greek term's reference to a membrane or covering. Its older figurative sense for virginity or marriage also derives from the hymen's traditional symbolic association with an unmarried bride.
How hymen is actually used
The anatomical sense is clinical and neutral. The older sense meaning virginity or marriage is now chiefly literary, historical, or archaic and may sound archaic or stigmatizing when used to describe a person.
Easily confused with hymen
A hymen is the membrane at the vaginal opening, whereas a hymenium is the spore-bearing surface of a fungus.