n.; pl. Fetuses [ L. fetus, foetus, a bringing forth, brood, offspring, young ones, cf. fetus fruitful, fructified, that is or was filled with young; akin to E. fawn a deer, fecundity, felicity, feminine, female, and prob. to do, or according to others, to be. ] The young or embryo of a vertebrate animal in the womb, or in the egg; often restricted to the later stages in the development of viviparous and oviparous animals. showing the main recognizable features of the mature animal, embryo being applied to the earlier stages. [ Written also fœtus. ] [ 1913 Webster ]