Definify.com
Definition 2024
phœtus
phœtus
See also: phoetus
English
Noun
phœtus (plural phœtuses or phœti)
- (hypercorrect) Obsolete spelling of fetus
Usage notes
Hypercorrect due to incorrect insertion of a ph digraph, which implies that the ascendant was a Grecian word spelled with φ, and etymologically inconsistent usage of œ, which the original Latin spelling did not contain.