# What is the urethra?

It is called the urethra. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as a tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body.

## What it means

- A tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body.
- Much shorter in the female (about 4 cm) than in the male (about 20 cm).
- In the male, it also carries semen during ejaculation.

## Action steps

1. Runs down from the neck of the bladder.
2. In the female, opens in front of the vaginal opening.
3. In the male, passes through the prostate and the length of the penis.

## Sources

- [Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918)](https://www.bartleby.com/107/)

---
Canonical: https://bestanatomyanswers.com/answers/what-is-the-urethra
Author: Best Anatomy Answers — https://bestanatomyanswers.com
Publisher: Best Anatomy Answers
Published: 2026-07-18T00:00:00+00:00
Modified: 2026-07-18T00:00:00+00:00
Last verified: 2026-07-18
License: Citation License 1.0 — https://bestexpertanswers.com/license
© Adolicious LLC