plural of fetus; developing human babies in the womb, usually from around the eighth or ninth week of pregnancy until birth.
From Latin 'fetus' meaning 'offspring' or 'young,' possibly related to 'ferre' meaning 'to bear or carry.' The plural in English can be either 'fetuses' or 'foetuses' depending on whether you use American or British spelling.
The term 'fetus' only became standardized in modern medicine—before that, doctors used various vague terms, and understanding fetal development required the invention of ultrasound and microscopy to visualize what was happening inside the womb.
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