penis

penis — noun

1. a man's or male animal's outer sex organ, from which urine comes out and which i

1.nounC1
Definition

a man's or male animal's outer sex organ, from which urine comes out and which is also used in sex.

Example

The doctor examined the boy's penis after he complained of pain.

medical pattern: examine the penis

A rash on the penis should be checked by a doctor.

pattern: rash on the penis

Common collocations
  • pain in the penis
  • a rash on the penis
  • wash the penis gently
  • swollen penis
Synonyms
  • male organ

    a neutral descriptive phrase, but less precise than the anatomical term

  • member

    a euphemistic word often used to avoid direct mention

  • phallus

    more technical or literary, often used in art, history, or symbolism

  • genitals

    broader; refers to sex organs as a group, not one organ only

Grammar Patterns

a penis

pain in the penis

a rash on the penis

wash the penis gently

Usage Note

Common in medical, educational, and caregiving contexts. In casual speech, people may choose euphemisms such as 'private parts', but penis is the standard neutral term in health and anatomy contexts.

Common Mistakes

The nurse checked penis for swelling.
The nurse checked the penis for swelling.
When you mean a specific body part, singular 'penis' usually takes 'the'.
The penis is a muscle.
The penis is an organ.
It contains different kinds of tissue, so it is not simply one muscle.

Word family

  • penile
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Penis is the standard neutral word in medicine, education, and careful everyday talk. Male organ is a plain descriptive phrase, but it is less exact and sounds more indirect. Member is a euphemism, so speakers use it when they want to avoid the direct anatomical word. Phallus is more technical or literary, and it often appears in art, history, or discussions of symbols rather than ordinary health advice. Genitals is broader: it refers to sex organs in general, not just this one organ. Use penis when you need clarity and neutrality. Compare: The doctor examined the boy's penis. The museum guide explained the stone phallus in the temple.

penismale organmemberphallusgenitals

Common collocations

Nouns

  • swollen penis
  • penis pain
  • penis rash

Phrases

  • examine the penis
  • wash the penis gently
  • feel pain in the penis

Prepositions

  • pain in the penis
  • a rash on the penis

Etymology

LatinEnglish

English borrowed penis from Latin, where penis was used for the male sex organ and could also mean 'tail'. In modern English, it became the standard anatomical term used in medicine, education, and health writing.