— peritoneal , adj. — peritoneally , adv.
/per'i tn ee"euhm/ , n. , pl. peritoneums, peritonea /-tn ee"euh/ . Anat.
the serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity and investing its viscera.
[ 1535-45; peritonaeum peritónaion, n. use of neut. of peritónaios, synonymous deriv. of perítonos stretched round. See PERI-, TONE, -EOUS ]