Meaning & use
urethral
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivebefore a nounmedical
Relating to the urethra, the tube through which urine leaves the body.
Grammar: Always goes before a noun: an urethral infection.
Patterns
- urethral infection
- urethral opening
The doctor suspected an urethral infection and ordered a urine test.
An urethral stricture can make passing urine difficult.
The surgeon explained the risks of urethral surgery in plain terms.
Common combinations
- urethral opening
- The diagram labeled the urethral opening.
- urethral infection
- An urethral infection may cause burning when urinating.
- urethral stricture
- An urethral stricture is a narrowing of the tube.
- urethral catheter
- An urethral catheter was inserted before the operation.
- urethral injury
- The urethral injury needed prompt treatment.
Synonyms and how they differ
- urinary
- Urinary is broader and covers the whole system of kidneys, bladder and urethra, whereas urethral applies only to the urethra.
- ureteral
- Ureteral refers to the ureters, the tubes from kidneys to bladder, so it is a different part of the body.
Word family
- urethra noun
- the tube that carries urine out of the body
- urethritis noun
- inflammation of the urethra
- urethroscopy noun
- an examination of the urethra with a small camera
Commonly confused: urethral or ureteral?
urethral vs ureteral
Ureteral concerns the ureters, which link the kidneys to the bladder. Urethral concerns the urethra, which carries urine out of the body.
Practice
A nurse who talks about a ___ catheter is referring to a tube placed in the urethra.
Choose one answer.
Urethral means relating to the urethra. Ureteral is tempting but concerns the ureters, a different pair of tubes.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “urethral”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.