condom

noun

con·​dom ˈkän-dəm How to pronounce condom (audio)
ˈkən-
dialectal -drəm
1
: a sheath commonly of rubber worn over the penis (as to prevent conception or venereal infection during coitus)
2
: a device that is designed to be inserted into the vagina before coitus and that resembles in form and function the condom used by males

Examples of condom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But making inroads with a customer who responds positively to condom-wearing pickles is easier said than done, and there certainly isn't a one-size-fits-all strategy. — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 The stigma of a young girl queuing for condoms, pills or a birth control implant at a crowded local clinic where other patients, or even health workers, could judge her or tell her parents, kept Nhedega away. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 Horniness has been baked into Martens’s vision since the beginning, from the orgiastic inflatable at his SS23 show to the 200,000 boxes of Durex condoms for FW23. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 The rave heavily emphasizes harm reduction and provides supplies like naloxone, drug and alcohol testing kits, and condoms. — Candace Hansen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for condom

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of condom was circa 1706

Rhymes for condom

See All Rhymes for condom

Browse Nearby Words

condolent
condom
condominate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Condom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/condom. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

condom

noun
con·​dom ˈkən-dəm How to pronounce condom (audio)
ˈkän-
: a usually rubber covering worn over the penis during sexual intercourse especially to prevent pregnancy or venereal disease

Medical Definition

condom

noun
con·​dom
ˈkän-dəm also ˈkən-
1
: a sheath commonly of rubber worn over the penis (as to prevent conception or venereal infection during coitus)

called also sheath

2
: a device that is designed to be inserted into the vagina before coitus and that resembles in form and function the condom used by males

More from Merriam-Webster on condom

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about condom

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All